Tiz the Law returns to work tab with easy half-mile breeze

Sackatoga Stable's four-time Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law was back to work on Friday morning to record his first breeze since finishing second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on September 5 at Churchill Downs with a half-mile work over a fast main track at Belmont Park. 

Under mostly sunny skies, the 3-year-old son of Constitution covered four furlongs in 50.07 seconds with regular exercise rider Heather Smullen aboard. 

"It was a nice, easy work," trainer Barclay Tagg said. "I wasn't looking for much. I just wanted him to go out there and stretch his legs. He hadn't done anything in three weeks."

Prior to his last-out second in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished 1 1/4-lengths back to Authentic, Tiz the Law had won his prior four starts this season in dominant fashion taking the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby, both at Gulfstream Park, before a sensational 3 ¾-length victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20 ahead of a 5 ½-length romp in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga.

During his 2-year-old season, Tiz the Law won the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park in his second start after besting fellow New York-breds in his career debut at Saratoga. 

The connections of Tiz the Law opted to bypass the Grade 1 Preakness on October 3 at Pimlico, and instead will train up to the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland, where he will face older horses for the first time. He will attempt to become the 13th 3-year-old to score a victory in the Classic. 

Bred in the Empire State by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the graded stakes winning Tiznow mare Tizfiz and was purchased for $110,000 from the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale of New York-breds. 

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 Letruska posts sharp breeze in preparation for G2 Beldame

St. George Stable's Letruska worked a bullet five-eighths in 59.60 over the Belmont main track Friday in preparation for the Grade 2, $150,000 Beldame, a nine-furlong test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on October 4.

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, the 4-year-old Super Saver bay captured the two-turn nine-furlong Grade 3 Shuvee last out on August 30 at Saratoga in front-running fashion. With Joel Rosario up, Letruska opened up a three-length advantage through three-quarters in 1:09.51 and stayed on strong for a one-length score over Royal Flag.

"She worked very well. I think she's ready to run," said Gutierrez. "She likes this racetrack. She had a nice workout in a little less than one minute. I'm very happy with how she has adapted."

Gutierrez said his filly should appreciate the one-turn nine-furlong test over Big Sandy.

"I think she will like it. She's a filly with a lot of speed and she proved last time she can take her speed the distance," said Gutierrez. 

To win the Beldame, Letruska will have to topple a probable field that includes 2019 Grade 1 Alabama-winner Dunbar Road for trainer Chad Brown; last year's Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan champ Point of Honor for conditioner George Weaver; multiple graded-stakes winner Horologist for Hall of Famer Bill Mott; and the Todd Pletcher-trained Nonna Madeline, a multiple graded-stakes placed Candy Ride bay who was the beaten favorite in the Shuvee.

"This is a Grade 2 and no race in New York is easy. Of course, we will have tough competition but I think she is ready for this level and we have to run her here," said Gutierrez. 

Letruska, who notched Group 1 victories in Mexico when taking last year's Clasico Esmeralda and Clasico Diamente at Hipodromo De Las Americas, has won 4-of-7 starts since arriving in North America in December 2019 including a score in the Added Elegance on June 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Gutierrez said a good result in the Beldame could propel Letruska to a start in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 7 at Keeneland.

"The objective is to be at the Breeders' Cup but we have to go step by step," said Gutierrez. "First, we will check this next result and if she runs good and we have confidence, then we can decide."

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Kimmel barn heating up; Mr. Buff to breeze Saturday in preparation for Empire Classic

Trainer John Kimmel is enjoying a good run of form with three wins from his last five starters dating back to an optional-claiming win by Famished on September 12 at Monmouth Park.

The hot streak includes an allowance score by Harris Bay on September 20 at Belmont and a sparkling debut effort from 2-year-old filly Secret Love on Thursday in a six-furlong sprint for New York-bred fillies over Big Sandy that garnered a 62 Beyer Speed Figure.

Nedlaw Stable and Tobey L. Morton's Secret Love, a chestnut daughter of Not This Time bred in the Empire State by Sequel Stallions and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, was purchased for $270,000 at the OBS July Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Sent to post at odds of nearly 8-1 with Hall of Famer John Velazquez up, Secret Love settled in third position through a half-mile in 46.79 before angling four-wide at the top of the lane and powering home a 6 1/4-length winner in a final time of 1:13.08.

"I thought she'd run well," said Kimmel. "I told Johnny she's very fit. She always finishes her breezes with a great gallop out. I told him that if she doesn't get discouraged from the kickback she should finish really well and she did finish very well."

Kimmel said Secret Love demonstrated tenaciousness to overcome an issue exiting the gate.

"She grabbed her quarter right out of the gate and pulled her right front shoe off," said Kimmel. "She ran the race with three shoes on and galloped out in front of the field."

Kimmel said he would point Secret Love to the $150,000 Maid of the Mist, a one-turn mile for New York-bred fillies slated for October 24 as part of Empire Showcase Day which will feature eight stakes worth $1.2 million.

Thursday's card also marked the return of Morton's graded-stakes placed sophomore filly Crystalle, who returned from a more than 10-month layoff to finish fourth in an optional-claiming event traveling 1 1/16-miles on the Belmont turf.

"It's nice to get her back and this should set her up for the next one," said Kimmel. "I think she's a true mile and a quarter horse."

A winner on debut in August 2019 at Saratoga, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Palace Malice followed three weeks later with a win in the 1 1/16-mile P.G. Johnson over eventual multiple graded-stakes winner Sweet Melania ahead of a closing second in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo in September 2019 at Belmont. She completed a solid juvenile campaign with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November at Santa Anita.

The Morton-owned Famished, a 3-year-old Uncle Mo colt bred in Ontario by Michael C. Byrne, earned an 81 Beyer for a five-length optional-claiming win traveling a mile and seventy yards under Nik Juarez on the Monmouth main track.

The versatile bay, who finished fifth in a pair of graded events on turf this season, had his picture taken for the first time since graduating on the Saratoga main track in August 2019.

"Famished finally put a nice race together," said Kimmel. "He got to the lead and started looking around. He was at a new place and they had to get after him a little bit. He's definitely got more in the tank."

Famished is slated to work in company with Chester and Mary Broman's New York-bred millionaire Mr. Buff on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The strapping Mr. Buff, a 6-year-old Friend Or Foe chestnut, boasts a record of 39-14-7-4 with purse earnings in excess of $1.1 million. He started his campaign with back-to-back scores in the open Jazil in January and restricted Haynesfield in February at the Big A. 

Following an extended layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Buff returned to finish second to Funny Guy in the Commentator, a one-turn mile for state-breds on June 12 at Belmont.

During a two-race summer campaign at Saratoga, Mr. Buff ran fifth in both the Grade 2 Suburban and Grade 1 Whitney.

Kimmel said Mr. Buff wasn't performing to his usual standard following the nearly four-month layoff after his Haynesfield score.

"I don't think he was at his best. Ever since I sent him home after the COVID problem we had, he just hasn't really cycled back in," said Kimmel. "Right now, he's starting to act pretty good and we'll see he works this weekend. He'll go five-eighths Saturday with Famished as his work partner."

Kimmel said Mr. Buff will look to defend his title in the nine-furlong $175,000 Empire Classic on the October 24 Empire Showcase Day card, although there is a small chance the gelding could try the Grade 1, $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 10.

"We'll see how he goes after this weekend and take it from there," said Kimmel.

Kimmel said he will look to continue his recent success on Sunday with the promising 2-year-old colt The Reds, a Tonalist chestnut purchased for $130,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds In Training.

Bred in Kentucky by R.S. Evans, The Reds worked a swift half-mile in 48.45 seconds over the Belmont main on September 21 in preparation for Sunday's seventh race, a 6 ½-furlong main track sprint, where he will exit post 4 under Eric Cancel.

"I like this horse a lot. He got the bullet work last time. He's ready," said Kimmel. "He's been training really good and galloping out really good, too. I don't know if six and a half will be his best distance in the long run, but I think he'll have something to say at the end of the race."

Kimmel added that New York-bred Harris Bay, who earned a 78 Beyer for his state-bred allowance score on September 20, will point to a second-level allowance event.

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Juddmonte seeks G3 Noble Damsel victory with Viadera, Chaleur

Juddmonte Farms will be represented by the British-bred duo of Viadera and Chaleur in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Noble Damsel, a one-turn mile for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on the Widener turf at Belmont.

Viadera, a 4-year-old bay daughter of Bated Breath, was victorious last out where she tracked the pace and displayed a strong stretch rally to defeat fellow Chad Brown trainee and Noble Damsel aspirant Noor Sahara by a neck in the De La Rose on July 17 at Saratoga. 

A three-time winner in Ireland, Viadera finished a distant fourth to stablemate Newspaperofrecord in her North American debut in the Grade 3 Intercontinental on June 6 over Belmont's Widener turf course. 

After years of managing thoroughbreds for Juddmonte Farm, Garrett O'Rourke said he has developed an idea of what to expect from horses transitioning from Europe to the United States. 

"The Intercontinental was her first start over here and she was sort of getting lost with the pace of the race," O'Rourke said. "She needed that second race to get a better understanding of how American racing unfolds. She was a good filly overseas but was running on straight courses. It often does take a few starts with horses coming over here; some are used to slower races in Europe and some get really keen heading into the tight bends."

Viadera will attempt to keep an unbeaten record going one mile intact. In Ireland, she bested stakes winner Lady Wannabe twice going the distance before taking the one-mile De La Rose last out. 

Jockey Joel Rosario, who guided Brown-trained Off Limits (2017) and Uni (2018) to Noble Damsel scores, will be aboard Viadera from the rail. 

In three starts in the United States, Chaleur has shown great determination and arrives at the Noble Damsel off a narrow defeat in the Perfect Sting on August 14 over the inner turf at Saratoga, where she was forwardly placed and finished a half-length back to Feel Glorious. 

"I thought she ran a very trying race last out," O'Rourke said of the 4-year-old daughter of Dansili. "It's frustrating when you end up doing all of the donkey work and win the race everywhere but at the wire. She's a filly that I think with each race, she will be more accustomed to U.S. racing."

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, Chaleur won her second start in the United States on July 5 at Belmont Park, where she finished a head to the better of group stakes-placed Stone Tornado.

O'Rourke said progeny of Dansili tend to handle the more firm ground in the United States quite well, and that the progeny of Bated Breath, a son of Dansili, has the potential to follow in his sire's footsteps. 

"At the moment, he hasn't had quite the opportunities that Dansili has in the states," O'Rourke said. "Bated Breath hasn't gotten the same quality of mares that Dansili has gotten, but I reckon that could increase with time."

Chaleur is out of the First Defence mare Lilyfire and hails from the line of prolific broodmare Best in Show. 

Chaleur will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano from post 3. 

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Zippy Baby on target for graded stakes bow in G2 Pilgrim

Del Russo Glenn's Zippy Baby won the last time he ran at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, breaking his maiden at third asking on July 18 at Saratoga Race Course. The son of Cairo Prince will look to repeat at the distance in the Grade 2, $150,000 Pilgrim for juveniles on the Belmont Park turf on Saturday, October 3.

Trainer Dermot Magner said Zippy Baby has continued to train well at Belmont, including a four-furlong breeze in 50.58 seconds on September 13 over the inner turf.

Zippy Baby made his debut on June 12, running second in a five-furlong turf sprint at Belmont. He again ran second in his next start, a five-furlong main track sprint on June 21 over Big Sandy, before his victory on the Saratoga grass.

Magner intended to keep him on the turf for his stakes bow, but the seven-furlong With Anticipation was moved off the turf on September 2. After running third in a four-horse field, Zippy Baby will again switch back to turf for the 42nd running of the Pilgrim, stretching back out in distance.

"The plan is to run in the Pilgrim. He seems good since we've been back from Saratoga," Magner said. "He's run a couple of times and he hasn't run a bad race dirt or turf. It's good to have another shot to go long on the turf. We'll have to step up a little bit, but we're looking forward for another opportunity to go longer."

Bred in Kentucky by Fredrick Allor, Zippy Baby, purchased for $50,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale in March, is 1-2-1 in four starts with earnings of $77,200.

Other probables for the Pilgrim include It's A Gamble (trained by Kelly Breen), Public Sector (Chad Brown), Safe Conduct (Phil Serpe), Shawdyshawdyshawdy (Jorge Abreu), Step Dancer (Barclay Tagg) and Tijuana Brass (Mike Maker).

Nice Guys Stables' Inveterate is back on the work tab, with Magner saying it's likely the 3-year-old daughter of Palace Malice could return to racing next month. Inveterate made her stakes debut last out, running 10th in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 28.

As a juvenile, Inveterate ran fifth in her debut in July 2019 at Saratoga on the main track. Moved to turf for her second start, she ran third going one mile over the Belmont grass last September. She broke her maiden at fourth asking in the first start of her sophomore campaign, wiring a five-horse field by 6 1/4 lengths on February 16 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Following her graded stakes effort, Inveterate was shipped to the Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Kentucky, where she began breezing in July and continued to train, including a four-furlong work in 49.40 on September 18.

"She'll run in about a month; I'm not sure where yet, but we're about a month away from running," Magner said. "She seems to be doing good right now, so hopefully we'll get back to it."

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Rookie Report: Regally-bred Curlin filly makes debut for Mott, Juddmonte

Juddmonte Farms' Kentucky homebred Millefeuille will seek a debut win when she takes on a field of six other juvenile fillies in a one-turn mile maiden special weight over the main track in Saturday's third race [2:04 p.m.] at Belmont. 

Conditioned by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the bay daughter of Curlin is a direct descendant of prolific Juddmonte broodmare Toussaud, who produced 2003 Belmont Stakes winner and champion producing stallion Empire Maker, as well as Grade 1 winners Chester House, Chiseling and Honest Lady, who is the granddam of Millefeuille. She is out of the unraced War Front mare Bandana. 

Millefeuille has recorded works over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga since late June and recently worked a half-mile in 48.95 on September 18. 

"Bill said that she's a typical Curlin that took a while to get going, but she is a very nice galloper," said Juddmonte Farm's general manager Garrett O'Rourke. "She may need a start under her belt, but she has been training well into her debut and it appears as though she is above average. She'll likely be a two-turn filly and she has that Curlin scope and length to her."

Jockey Joel Rosario will be aboard from post 2.

Attempting a second-out victory is Jouster, for trainer Todd Pletcher, who was second in her August 29 debut over a sloppy main track at Saratoga. 

Owned by Jack and Laurie Wolf's Starlight Racing, the daughter of Noble Mission set the pace in the six-furlong event but was unable to hold off a late charge from winner Spun d'Etat, who won by four lengths. 

Purchased for $360,000 from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, Jouster is the first progeny out of the Street Cry mare Playtime, whose dam was 2002 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Storm Flag Flying. 

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez was aboard for her debut and will return to the saddle for Saturday's race, where she will break from the rail.