Gargan considering his options for Tax

ELMONT, N.Y. – Tax returned to the work tab for the first time since his seventh-place finish in the Travers, breezing an easy half-mile in 50.40 seconds over the Belmont Park training track shortly after the first renovation break here Friday.

Tax went his opening quarter in 25.20 and galloped out fiveeighths over the cuppy surface in 1:04.

Tax forced the early pace in the Travers after breaking from the outside in post position 12. The two-time graded stakes winner weakened during the latter stages of the 1 1/4-mile Travers, finishing 5 3/4 lengths behind race winner Code of Honor.

Trainer Danny Gargan is pondering several options for Tax’s next start, but ruled out the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup here against older horses on Sept. 28.

“The Pennsylvania Derby is still possible, although it’s more likely we’ll go to the Oklahoma Derby or keep him here and try the turf in the Hill Prince,” said Gargan. “Both races give us a little more time and would keep him against easier competition. This morning was just an easy half. He doesn’t need to do much. He’s fit.”

The Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park will be decided on Sept. 29, the Grade 2 Hill Prince a week later on Oct. 5. Both races carry a purse of $400,000.

Vino Rosso works five furlongs

One horse definitely being pointed to the Jockey Club Gold Cup is Vino Rosso, who worked five furlongs in 59.88 over the main track on Friday. Vino Rosso, with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, worked inside stablemate Singapore Trader, posting splits of 23.90 and 35.36 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.02.

Vino Rosso has not started since finishing third in the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 3. He was entered in the Grade 1 Woodward and scratched the morning of the race by trainer Todd Pletcher to await the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup on Sept. 28.

“Todd wanted to get him a breeze on the main track,” said assistant trainer Byron Hughes, who was deputizing for Pletcher. “I thought he was moving well. Irad kind of dropped his hands on the gallop-out, and he kept his momentum nicely.”

Tiz the Law has easy breeze

Tiz the Law, who registered the highest Beyer Speed Figure (90) of any 2-year-old at the Saratoga meeting, breezed a very easy half-mile in 49.60 immediately after the renovation break at Belmont Park on Friday under exercise rider Heather Smullen. Tiz the Law, a New York-bred son of Constitution trained by Barclay Tagg, won his only start by 4 1/4 lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 8.

“Just an easy half in his first work back, and he went nicely,” said Tagg. “He had the start of a little shin. We ran him on it and it didn’t get any worse, but I just didn’t want to be fighting the thing later on so we gave him some time after his first start.”

Tagg said he hopes to start Tiz the Law twice locally before departing for Florida at the end of November. The Grade 1 Champagne is among the options, he said.

Junior Alvarado, who rode Tiz the Law to victory in his debut, will miss a week after suffering a sprained right wrist in a riding mishap here Thursday, according to his agent, Mike Sellitto. Alvarado was aboard Deft, who broke down while on the lead in a maiden claiming race on the turf. Deft had to be euthanized as a result of the incident.

Clement has pair in feature

Trainer Christophe Clement will send out two of the five starters, Chipolata and Sky Full of Stars, in Sunday’s main event, an $85,000 optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles on the turf for fillies and mares. The lineup also includes Xenobia, Matty’s Magnum, and Scottish Jig.

Chipolata has not started since finishing second as the 9-5 favorite under similar conditions June 23. The Frenchraced 4-year-old finished third making her U.S. debut here 14 months ago in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and posted her only victory in this country at Aqueduct in April.

“I don’t think she liked the heat this summer, so we gave her the time off,” Clement explained when asked why Chipolata had not started in nearly three months. “She may be a little bit short because we’re coming back a little quickly, but she’s a small filly and has trained well.”

Sky Full of Stars has finished off the board in all three North American appearances, including a pair of stakes earlier this summer.

“She’s been a bit of a disappointment,” said Clement. “We’ve been running her longer. It will be nice having her not be in a stakes for once. It’s an easier race. Just trying something else new because it hasn’t worked so far.”

Xenobia, a Group 3 winner in Ireland, should benefit from her only start this season, a fourth, 1 3/4 lengths behind Chipolata, here June 23. Scottish Jig finished third at 1 1/2 miles in the River Memories, but was overmatched last time in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa.