Tiz the Law completed the traditional Triple Crown prep season on Saturday with a dominating performance in the $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, giving the colt his second Grade 1 win and fourth victory in five lifetime starts.
Now his connections have to map out a plan to get the striking 3-year-old to the rescheduled Kentucky Derby (G1) on Sept. 5.
“He is something special,” said Sackatoga Stable’s Jack Knowlton after the win. “It would be a lot of fun going to Kentucky in five weeks, but that’s not happening, obviously. Now we get to run some more races. Maybe the Wood (which has also been postponed) will come back in play. Maybe we can do a Travers-Derby double. Right now it’s a blank slate.”
Tiz the Law was handled perfectly from the outset by Manny Franco. Breaking from post four, he was three-wide into the first turn, just two lengths from dueling pacesetters Shivaree and Ete Indien. Those two went through the first six furlongs in 1:11.94, when Tiz the Law began to close in and overtook them at the top of the stretch. Shivaree dug in, but was no match for Tiz the Law, who pulled away late to win by 4 1/4-lengths in 1:50 flat for the 1 1/8-miles on a fast track.
“I just said I’d love you to be third in the two path, and he was like third in the three path, but that was fine, because the horse could handle it,” said trainer Barclay Tagg on his instructions to Franco. “I was very impressed, but I’ve been impressed with everything he’s done.”
Tiz the Law has previous wins in the Champagne S. (G1) and Holy Bull S. (G3) and now has earned $945,300. He was bred by Twin Creeks Farm and is out of the Grade 2 winner Tiz Fiz.
Constitution is ranked at the top of the 2020 Second-Crop Sire list in every category and is the only sophomore sire with progeny earnings over $1 million, currently at $1,402,293. In addition to Tiz the Law, his fillies Laura’s Light and Golden Principal are both solid Kentucky Oaks (G1) prospects.
