The Gr1 Kentucky Derby runner-up Tiz The Law will skip the Preakness and head to the Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic, reports bloodhorse.com.
Sackatoga Stable operating manager Jack Knowlton spoke after talking to trainer Barclay Tagg and assistant trainer Robin Smullen about how the horse has previously thrived with long breaks between races.
“You have to listen to your horse. We didn’t feel we would have him 100% ready for the Preakness, so we decided to train up to the Breeders’ Cup. Barclay and Robin felt he wasn’t ready to do his two breezes that we believed were necessary for the Preakness,” Knowlton said.
“We couldn’t do it this past weekend and we were looking at (Sept. 23), but that didn’t work out. So we said we don’t have to go to the Preakness. We have a bigger prize at the end of the year at the Breeders’ Cup. We know he runs very well off long layoffs so that’s the decision we made. It’s off to a new chapter and we have a $6 million race to look forward to, which is great for a small stable like ours.”
There will be nine weeks between Tiz The Law’s Kentucky Derby run and the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and previously he won the Florida Derby off eight weeks of rest, the Belmont Stakes off 12 weeks, and the Travers off seven weeks.
Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, and sold for $110,000, Tiz The Law has won six of his eight starts, with four wins at Gr1 level, for earnings over $2.6million.
His dam, Tizfiz, was a Gr2 winner, and his third dam is a sister to Horse of the Year and sire, Favourite Trick (Phone Trick).
