Chelsea Durand Photo

Tiz the Law posts a bullet five-eighths breeze at Belmont

by NYRA Press Office

• Lovestruck will attempt to mimic winning ways in Miss Grillo (G2)
• Miss Grillo (G2) contender Batyah to cross enter in Jessamine (G2); Well-bred Oyster Box to debut at Belmont
• Ribaudo hoping for some racing luck and a good trip with Pulsate in Belmont Turf Sprint (G3)

Sackatoga Stable's New York-bred hero Tiz the Law breezed a bullet five-furlongs in 57.87 seconds on Friday morning at Belmont Park.

Piloted by exercise rider Heather Smullen over the fast main track, the four-time Grade 1-winning son of Constitution worked under overcast skies and light rain in preparation for his next engagement, which is scheduled to take place in the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland.

"I didn't want to see him go that fast, but he came out of the work well," Tagg said. "He scoped well and everything is going good with him."

Trained by Barclay Tagg, Tiz the Law has put together a notable sophomore campaign which includes victories in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream Park, the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20, where he became the first Empire State-bred to win the American Classic in 138 years, and the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

Tiz the Law was a last-out second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on September 5 at Churchill Downs, which Tagg and Sackatoga won in 2003 with New York-bred Funny Cide.

Tagg said Tiz the Law would likely work back either next Friday or Saturday.

During his juvenile campaign, Tiz the Law was a first-out winner against his New York-bred counterpart exactly one calendar year prior to his Runhappy Travers triumph en route to a score in the Grade 1 Champagne last October at Belmont Park. A $110,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling Sale, Tiz the Law has amassed $2,615,300 in purse earnings.

Bred in the Empire State by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the Tiznow broodmare Tizfiz.

Tagg is poised for a potentially exciting weekend as he will saddle contenders in a pair of graded stakes on Saturday at Belmont.

Hayward Pressman, Diamond M Stable and Donna Pressman's Step Dancer will try open company in the Grade 2, $150,000 Pilgrim at 1 1/16-miles on the turf for juveniles.

Step Dancer posted a 3 ½-length upset win on debut in a 1 1/16-mile maiden event for state-breds over a Mellon turf course at Saratoga rated good. The 2-year-old son of War Dancer came from 11 lengths off the pace to secure the win at 24-1 odds.

"He's a New York-bred and I've had some New York-breds do pretty well against open company," Tagg quipped. "He won his first start rather easily, so we put him in the Pilgrim."

Bred in New York by Sugar Plum Farm and Richard Pressman, Step Dancer is out of the English Channel mare Just Be Steppin. Jockey Dylan Davis was up for the debut win and will return aboard Step Dancer from post 7 in the eight-horse field.

Joyce B. Young, Gerald McManis and Jerrie Stewart McManis' Highland Sky will attempt an elusive Grade 1 victory in Saturday's 12-furlong $250,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, a race where he finished fourth in 2018.

The 7-year-old dark bay son of Sky Mesa came close to striking Grade 1 gold during his sophomore campaign, where he was second beaten a neck in the 2016 Belmont Derby Invitational.

An 8 ¼-length winner of last year's John's Call at Saratoga, which was taken off the turf, Highland Sky arrives at the Joe Hirsch off a runner-up placing in the Grade 2 Bowling Green on August 1 at Saratoga.

"He's an old timer now but I've always wanted to win the Joe Hirsch," Tagg said. "He'll be in pretty tough. He likes soft turf and he likes the mud if they take it off the grass."

Highland Sky boasts a solid pedigree that Tagg is quite familiar with. He trained the graded stakes-placed dam Kristi With a K, who also produced graded stakes placed Tagg trainee Highland Glory - a full sister to Highland Sky - as well as Grade 1 winners Miss Josh and Bit of Whimsy, and graded stakes winners Highland Springs and Highland Crystal.

"That family has been very good to us over the years," Tagg said.

Highland Sky boasts lifetime earnings of $781,044 in a 29-5-4-5 career. He will be ridden by Junior Alvarado, who has been aboard the horse for his last two efforts.

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Lovestruck will attempt to mimic winning ways in G2 Miss Grillo

Jimmy Bell, who heads Godolphin's USA division, said he did not expect the impressive debut score at Saratoga from the immaculately-bred Lovestruck but he hopes to see a similar effort from the half-sister to champion producing stallion Scat Daddy in Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000 Miss Grillo at Belmont Park.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who won the 1 1/16-mile event on the grass for juvenile fillies with Namaste's Wish in 2007, the gray or roan daughter of Tapit is out of the unraced Mr. Prospector mare Love Style who, in addition to Scat Daddy, produced graded stakes winner Antipathy.

Lovestruck did not get the cleanest of trips in her September 7 debut breaking a step slow out of the gate, getting shuffled to the back of the pack and bumping with rivals in the stretch. Nevertheless, when a hole opened up Lovestruck surged through and powered home to a one length triumph [surviving an inquiry for interference] under Junior Alvarado, registering a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.

"She is a special filly top to bottom," said Bell. "She's obviously got a lot of attention. She's carried herself well, looks the part. She was precocious enough to not only run as a 2-year-old, but win first out.

"The manner of which she did it was a bit of a surprise," he added. "We thought she'd take to the grass a little bit and going a mile and a sixteenth seemed like a good launching point. She had an eventful trip. Even though she has one race, she has the seasoning of about three races for what she went through in her maiden win. What was gratifying was when she found ground, she displayed that closing punch and did so impressively."

Although Scat Daddy was a multiple Grade 1-winner on dirt, Bell said Mott opted to debut Lovestruck on the grass.

"He has that sixth sense and the ability to read between the lines. Obviously, he was rewarded with his idea that he thought the grass would be the way to go," Bell said. "She got a very good number. She showed a tremendous turn of foot."

Godolphin will be well represented in Belmont stakes this weekend with Pixelate in the Grade 1, $250,000 Belmont Derby Invitational - a Breeders' Cup "Win And You're In" event for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf; and Endorsed in the Grade 2, $150,000 Kelso Handicap.

Pixelate, a dark bay City Zip sophomore, has never finished worse than third in 11 starts over nine different tracks. Trained by Michael Stidham, Pixelate was a last out winner of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on September 6 after finishing a close second to fellow Belmont Derby aspirant Gufo in the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park. After a third out maiden win over the turf at Arlington Park last September, Pixelate was a close second at 35-1 odds in the Awad at Belmont Park before taking the Central Park on December 6 over a yielding turf at Aqueduct.

"He is the ultimate depiction of consistency," Bell said. "That's something you really hope for in any horse. He's been well-traveled and handled all situations from mile races up to a mile and an eighth. City Zip has obviously been good as a sire in all categories. He gives you confidence anywhere he goes."

Bell said he is not concerned about the added distance for Pixelate.

"We're heading into uncharted water, but the way he closed at Del Mar he sure seemed like he ran down the leaders down the lane and got up the final stride," Bell said. "He didn't give any indication there that the distance is out of his ability."

Bell praised Stidham and his team for their work in campaigning Godolphin's horses.

"He does a fantastic job," Bell said. "He's a great caretaker of the horses. He has a great team with [assistant trainer] Hillary [Pridham]. They know their horses inside and out and they're good at using what they have. Mike does a fantastic job."

Still in search of a stakes win, Endorsed has been in tough this season, finishing a close second to Code of Honor in the Grade 3 Westchester over a muddy track at Belmont and was seventh beaten 4 ½ lengths in the Grade 1 Runhappy Met Mile.

Last out, Endorsed was second as the favorite in the restricted Alydar going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga. He breezed a bullet half-mile in 49.18 on September 28 on the Oklahoma dirt training track in his final Kelso prep.

"I think we're going to see his best which is all you can ask for," Bell said. "The work was an indicator of how he's doing right now. He ran a commendable race in the Met Mile in some deep waters. He's knocking on the door and couldn't be doing better."

Godolphin has won the Kelso twice with Ashkal Way (2006) and Tam Lin (2008).

Next Saturday, Godolphin will run 3-year-old Mystic Guide against elders in the Grade 1, $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Trained by Stidham, the son of Ghostzapper last out won the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on September 5 at Saratoga by three-quarters of a length in his fifth career start.

Mystic Guide was a five-length winner of his second career start and first start going two turns when besting a maiden field at Fair Grounds going 1 1/16 miles.

A Kentucky homebred, Mystic Guide is out of the A.P. Indy broodmare Music Note, who was a four-time Grade 1-winner, all on the NYRA circuit.

"She was probably as hickory a mare as you'll find," Bell said. "She was very game and obviously competed at the top level. She was all business on the racetrack.

"We're very excited to have Mystic Guide in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and I loved seeing him knock out the Jim Dandy," Bell continued. "He's developing and improving as a 3-year-old."

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Miss Grillo (G2) contender Batyah to cross enter in Jessamine (G2); Well-bred Oyster Box to debut at Belmont

Trainer Graham Motion said that Earle I. Mack's Batyah, an impressive maiden winner entered in Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000 Miss Grillo at Belmont, will cross enter in the Grade 2 Jessamine on October 7 at Keeneland.

Both the Miss Grillo and Jessamine and are contested at 1 1/16-miles for juvenile fillies on the turf with Motion saying he will consider both events for the dark bay daughter of Pioneerof the Nile.

"I'll cross-enter her in Kentucky, which would give her a few more days between starts, before we decide where we're going to run," said Motion.

Batyah earned a 71 Beyer for her last-to-first maiden score from the outside post 10 under Jose Lezcano in a September 19 turf mile at Belmont.

Motion said he was optimistic of a good debut from the filly who had previously worked in company with Alda, a stakes winner who ran second in the Grade 1 Natalma at Woodbine one day after Batyah's debut.

"I was super impressed with her," said Motion. "I can't say I was completely surprised as I had breezed her with Alda, my other nice 2-year-old filly, the week before and I thought she handled it really well. We expected good things but you never expect them to win quite like she did first time.

"Jose gave her a great ride," added Motion. "He was very patient with her."

Motion said a good next outing could propel Batyah to a start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 6 at Keeneland.

"It's that time of year and you only get one shot with these 2-year-olds for the Breeders' Cup, so if she's good enough we need to find out," said Motion. "She really came out of the race great."

With Lezcano slated to ride Freedomofthepress in the Miss Grillo, apprentice rider Charlie Marquez will take over aboard Batyah from post 7.

Motion will debut the well-bred Oyster Box in Saturday's second race at Belmont, a six-furlong turf sprint for maiden 2-year-old fillies. The Tapit filly, out of the multiple graded-stakes winning Dynaformer mare Starformer, is a half-sister to stakes winner Flavius.

"She's very classy and very straightforward," said Motion. "I think she's going to need the race and she will eventually want two turns. She's done as much or more as most of the 2-year-olds that I start, so I thought it was time to get her started."

Oyster Box breezed a half-mile from the gate in 49 flat on September 18 on the Fair Hill dirt. She will be guided from the inside post on Saturday by Junior Alvarado.

"Junior is a sneaky good rider - a top rider - and is often under the radar," said Motion.

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Ribaudo hoping for some racing luck and a good trip with Pulsate in Belmont Turf Sprint (G3)

Trainer Bobby Ribaudo said Pulsate has been somewhat of a hard luck horse in his past few starts, but is confident that he is poised for a breakthrough effort in Sunday's Grade 3, $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational going six furlongs over the Widener turf at Belmont Park.

Owned by Marc Keller, the 4-year-old son of Speightstown was runner-up last out in the Lucky Coin at Saratoga going 5 ½ furlongs on the turf, where he had a narrow lead in mid-stretch but was beaten 1 ¼ lengths. In his previous start, he finished fifth but was elevated to fourth via disqualification in the Grade 3 Troy at the Spa.

"He's been a little unlucky, but the bottom line is he tries every time he runs," Ribaudo said. "I think in Sunday's race there could be five horses within two lengths at the wire the way it looks on paper. The trip is going to be important."

Pulsate will be piloted by Junior Alvarado from post 9.

"I wasn't crazy about the outside post but maybe it will keep us out of trouble," said Ribaudo. "The horse is doing great. Going five and a half at Saratoga is probably not his best distance, six or seven is probably better for him. We just hope to work out a good trip."

Ribaudo said an ideal trip for Pulsate would be off the pace and in behind horses early on.

"We won't use him out of the gate," Ribaudo said. "We're just hoping that there's some separation in the field and if there is, we'll drop in. That would be ideal. Four or five lengths off the pace is ideal."

Pulsate began his career over the main track at Aqueduct where he broke his maiden en route to a triumph against winners last April at the Big A. He then moved to grass where he was second to Pole Setter in the Paradise Creek at Belmont. His lone victory on grass took place on December 8 over the Aqueduct turf, where he bested an optional claiming field with a narrow victory.

Ribaudo said he would not rule out sending Pulsate, out of the Kitten's Joy mare Celestial Kitten, back to the main track at some point.

"We're not convinced that he's not a dirt horse either," Ribaudo said. "I kept him up here two winters ago and he won on dirt. Being from a Kitten's Joy mare naturally pushed us to the turf and Speightstown horses can do anything."