TIZ A BIG DAY

Belmont has no fans, but a huge fave

While there won't be school buses of fans hoping to see a New York-bred horse make Belmont history, there is a busload of Triple Crown expectations heading into Saturday's race.

Seventeen years ago, Jack Knowlton and the other owners of Funny Cide packed into school buses and headed to Belmont Park, hoping to see the colt capture the home-track victory they had dreamed of. It didn't happen. Now, however, Tiz the Law looks every bit like the best 3-year-old in the world and could deliver his owners and trainer Barclay Tagg the elusive crown.

It'll take something spectacular Saturday from a watered-down field to prevent the Triple Crown favorite from becoming the first New York bred to win the Belmont in more than 130 years and taking a powerful stride toward the Kentucky Derby.

“Barclay doesn't get the kind of horses like Funny Cide and Tiz the Law very often, but when he does get an opportunity, he makes the most of it,” Knowlton said. “Fortunately, Tiz the Law is the kind of horse that seems to take everything in stride and he's very easy to work with. From all indications, he's doing as well as he's been doing all year, and hopefully that'll carry over into the Belmont.”

Tiz the Law won his two starts this year, including the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28. He's the class of the Belmont after injuries to Bob Bafferttrained Nadal and Charlatan and other defections in a year the coronavirus pandemic pushed the Kentucky Derby to Sept. 5 and the Preakness to Oct. 3.

“Tiz the Law has been the best 3-yearold since January basically and he remains that,” retired jockey-turned-NBC Sports analyst Jerry Bailey said Tuesday. “He would've been favored in whatever Triple Crown race we ran first first, so we have a superstar that we're going to see on Saturday.”

It's an unconventional schedule with the three Triple Crown races being held out of their normal order. The Belmont is being run at 1 1/8 miles instead of a mile and a half and the traditional third jewel is leading off the series for the first time.

But Tagg, 82, has Tiz the Law primed for this moment.

“Barclay Tagg is a very experienced, skilled horse trainer, and I think once he knew kind of what the schedule was, he's been focused on this,” said rival trainer Todd Pletcher, who is expected to challenge Tiz the Law with Dr Post and Farmington Road. “It looks to me like the horse is training sensationally. He looks great on the race track. I think it's not been an ideal scenario for anyone, but I think there's no doubt in my mind that Barclay will have his horse ready to go.”

Tagg got Funny Cide ready in 2003 when he won the Derby and Preakness before finishing third in the Belmont.