Susie Raisher Photo

Tiz the Law records final breeze for Kentucky Derby (G1)

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• Rookie Report: Ward high on maiden Red Ghost
• Kimari likely for Prioress (G2)

For his final piece of serious preparation for the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby, Sackatoga Stable's New York-bred Tiz the Law went five furlongs in 59.21 seconds over the Saratoga Race Course main track on Saturday.

Trainer Barclay Tagg timed the work to avoid the anticipated rain showers, so the four-time Grade 1 winner was amongst the first horses to step foot onto the track at 5:45 a.m., just fifteen minutes before precipitation made its way to the Capital Region.

Piloted by exercise rider Heather Smullen, the son of second crop sire Constitution went his first three-eighths in 36.01 before galloping out in 1:12.01 on the fast main track, which was raked and harrowed.

"Everything went fine. He came back well," Tagg said. "He did everything he was supposed to do. I'm satisfied with this work. We had to make the decision this morning to work him. We made the decision around 4:00. Luckily, it wasn't raining when he was working. It's supposed to rain all day, and the track may be worse tomorrow. I'm glad we got the work in."

Tiz the Law, who is atop the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 372 qualifying points, will be the likely favorite of the "Run for the Roses", arriving at the prestigious event off a runaway triumph in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8. Unbeaten in four starts this season, he won the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park before becoming the first New York-bred in over a century to win the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20.

A win in the Kentucky Derby would be a second victory in the American Classic for both Tagg and Sackatoga Stable, who teamed up to win the 2003 Kentucky Derby with Funny Cide, who became the first and so far only New York-bred to win the prestigious event.

Tiz the Law is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on Monday. Manny Franco will have the call in the Kentucky Derby.

Bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the graded stakes winning Tiznow mare Tizfiz and was hammed down to $110,000 when being purchased at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Yearling Sale of New York-breds. 

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Rookie Report: Ward high on maiden Red Ghost

Trainer Wesley Ward had high praise for Douglas Scharbauer's Red Ghost, who makes her career debut in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight over the Mellon turf at Saratoga Race Course on Sunday.

A Kentucky homebred, the chestnut daughter of veteran sire Ghostzapper is out of the Elusive Quality broodmare Better Than Most, whose graded stakes winning dam Alybelle is a full sister to 1987 Kentucky Derby winner and 1988 Horse of the Year Alysheba.

"She's always shown a lot of talent from her initial works," Ward said. "She may be just a little bit short, but with the race being on the grass it should be a nice easy race for her. She ranks right up there with the top 2-year-olds that I have this year. Fitness wise she may be just a little short. Regardless, she's going to get a good experience over a nice course."

Red Ghost recently worked a half-mile over the Oklahoma training turf in 49.53 seconds.

Trainer Chad Brown will send out Peter Brant and e Five Thoroughbred Racing's So Enchanting for her career debut.

The daughter of More Than Ready has breezed consistently for Brown at Saratoga since late June and recent went a sharp half-mile in 47.93 over the Saratoga main track.

So Enchanting was purchased for $275,000 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Brookdale Sales, and is out of the three-time stakes placed Bernstein mare Dido, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Noble Bird.

"She's been up there with Chad since June and has been training well," said Bob Edwards of e Five Thoroughbred Racing.

E Five Thoroughbred Racing owns six-time Grade 1 winning mare Rushing Fall, who also is by More Than Ready.

"He's been a good sire to me the past few years," Edwards said. "My first graded stakes winner was with a filly named Zindaya who also was by More Than Ready."

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Kimari likely for Prioress (G2)

Trainer Wesley Ward said he is considering running three-time stakes winner Kimari, winner of last year's Bolton Landing, in the Grade 2, $200,000 Prioress on September 5 at Saratoga Race Course.

Owned by Ten Broeck Farm, the daughter of Munnings was a last out second in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup on June 19 at Royal Ascot overseas and has been breezing at Ward's primary base at Keeneland Race Course since her last effort.

A stakes winner over both dirt and turf, Kimari won the Indian Summer over the turf at Keeneland following the Bolton Landing. This year, she won the Purple Martin over the main track at Oaklawn Park in her 2020 debut.

"We'll breeze her Sunday and we'll see how she works and how she comes out of the work, but we're looking at the Prioress," Ward said.

Bred in Kentucky by China Horse Club, Kimari is out of the graded stakes-winning Cozzenne mare Cozzee Up Lady.

Ward also reported on impressive Skidmore winner Golden Pal, a well-bred son of Uncle Mo who is the first progeny out of 11-time stakes winner Lady Shipman.

Golden Pal has shipped back down to Keeneland where he will train up to the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at the Lexington oval.

"From day one, he's just shown immense talent, even before we started breezing him," Ward said. "You could just tell with his demeanor, his physique and everything that he was evolving, like a high school start quarterback going into college. He just keeps moving forward. I've always been singing his praises and he got beat the first two times, but I'm glad he vindicated himself last time."

Skidmore runner-up Fauci, who also is trained by Ward, is possible for stakes action at Keeneland or Kentucky Downs.

"We're looking at Kentucky Downs, or if this last race took something out of him, then we'll maybe look at the first week at Keeneland," Ward said.

Ward also stated that Stonestreet Farms' undefeated Campanelle, winner of the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville on August 23, is still training in France, and could train straight up to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

"She's coming back on [September] fifth, she's in Chantilly right now, galloping in the forest," Ward said. "She's thriving. She'll come back to Keeneland. We'll talk things over with the team at Stonestreet, but we'll probably go into the [Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf]. Frankie [Dettorri] got off her and said that the mile should be no issue at all."