Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Tiz the Law leaves vapor trail in five-furlong morning drill
ELMONT, N.Y. – There was a time immediately after the Kentucky Derby when Tiz the Law appeared a bit lethargic. That time has passed.
On Friday, in just his second work since his runner-up finish in the Kentucky Derby, Tiz the Law worked an extremely fast five furlongs in 57.87 seconds over the Belmont Park main track as the Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes winner continues preparations for a scheduled start in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7.
“I didn’t want to go that fast, especially this early, when we’re trying to freshen him,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He’s a fast horse. What are you going to do?”
Tiz the Law came out of his runner-up finish to Authentic in the Kentucky Derby a bit stiff and lethargic. It took at least two weeks before he began to turn around. On Sept. 25, Tiz the Law worked a half-mile in 50.07 seconds by himself.
Tagg said he would have preferred to have had an easier work this week and a stronger work, in company, next week. The problem is the horses he has that would be good workmates for Tiz the Law – Highland Sky and Step Dancer – were entered in stakes Saturday at Belmont.
Tagg selected Crackerbox Palace, a 2-year-old maiden, to work with Tiz the Law.
Over a fast track and with light rain falling, Crackerbox Palace, with exercise rider Javier Copantitla up, started the work off nearly a sixteenth of a mile in front of Tiz the Law.
Tagg, on a stable pony, did not turn exercise rider Heather Smullen and Tiz the Law loose until the 6 1/2-furlong pole, trying to avoid getting mixed in with a pair of workers from the barn of Michelle Nevin.
“I wanted to let [Crackerbox Palace] go off a little ahead of this horse and let him gallop around,” Tagg said. “It should have been easy, just all of the communicating got messed up.”
Tiz the Law broke off at the five-furlong pole and went his opening eighth in 11.60 seconds and his opening quarter in 22.85. With Crackerbox Palace still far in front, Tiz the Law went his first three furlongs in 33.70 seconds. He still came home in 24.17 seconds, closing the gap to about six lengths at the wire. Tiz the Law continued out six furlongs in 1:10.60 and seven furlongs in 1:24.03. He galloped out past Crackerbox Palace, who was credited with a five-furlong move in 1:01.60.
“We got time to adjust,” Tagg said. “The horse came out of it great, seems to be fine, a little faster than I wanted him to go. The horse was happy, anyway – happy before and happy after.”
Vekoma leaning Sprint
Vekoma, unraced since winning the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on July 4, worked five furlongs in 1:02.65 on Friday morning at Saratoga as he continues preparations for a start in the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
While it has not yet been determined which Breeders’ Cup race Vekoma will run in, trainer George Weaver seems to be favoring the $2 million Sprint at six furlongs over the $1 million Dirt Mile, which at Keeneland is a two-turn race. He will most likely be preentered for both races.
Vekoma, who this year also won the Grade 1 Carter at Belmont going seven furlongs, is undefeated (5 for 5) in races contested around one turn. He won his career debut going six furlongs.
“I don’t think running six furlongs is a disadvantage for him; I think he can handle it fine,” Weaver said. “We’re still thinking about both races, but if you had to pin me down today, for myself, I think I prefer running him in the Sprint.”
Weaver did note that Vekoma’s biggest win around two turns came in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland last year.
Vekoma is 3 for 3 this year, having also won the Sir Shackleton Stakes, a seven-furlong race at Gulfstream in March before his back-to-back scores in the Carter and Met Mile. He missed a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 29 at Saratoga owing to a foot issue that kept him off the work tab for more than a month.
“He’s doing well physically now,” Weaver said. “We’ve got his feet, knock on wood, sorted out and doing well at the moment.”
Country Grammer sidelined
Country Grammer, who won the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes earlier this year at Saratoga, will miss the remainder of his 3-year-old season due to a hindend issue, trainer Chad Brown said.
Country Grammer was pointing to Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. But he came out of a work with an issue, Brown said, and was sent to Dr. Larry Bramlage, who found “a minor lameness issue behind.”
“He’ll probably need 30 days off,” Brown said. “I’m glad I stopped on him. He wasn’t quite right. He would have needed to have been 110 percent to go into that race, and he just wasn’t.”
◗ Oleksandra, the Australian-bred mare who suffered a broken splint bone in her victory against males in the Grade 1 Jaipur here in June, worked three furlongs in 38.18 seconds on Friday morning over the Belmont Park main track. Her connections are hoping to train her up to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.