Training was extended on the main track until 10:30 and turf training pushed back to 10:30-11.

Among the marquee names training on the main track was Tiz the Law (Classic), who had a strong gallop under Heather Smullen in his first day back on track following a 5f work in 59 1/5 on Saturday.

Arriving across the road from the track at Blue Grass Airport was a flight from New York that included the World Championships contingents from trainers Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher.

The draw for post positions for all 14 Championship races is scheduled for this afternoon starting at 5 p.m. ET on TVG and streaming live on www.Breederscup.com.

Longines Classic (G1)

Authentic, Improbable/Maximum Security — Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert traveled from his home in Southern California to Kentucky Monday after entering six horses in the 37th Breeders' Cup. Baffert's sextet will ship to Keeneland on Tuesday.

Baffert is scheduled to have three starters in the $6 million Classic: Authentic, Improbable and Maximum Security. He has won the marquee event of the 14-race Breeders' Cup lineup three times.

Also headed to the World Championships from the Baffert barn are Gamine for the Filly and Mare Sprint; Princess Noor in the Juvenile Fillies and Classier in the in the Juvenile.

By My Standards — Allied Racing Stable's Longines Classic contender By My Standards jogged a circuit of Churchill Downs on Monday morning for trainer Bret Calhoun.

“He just went and jogged today,” Calhoun said. “He came out of his work well (5f in 59 4/5) and was very sharp this morning.”

The son of two-time Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents will ship over to Keeneland on Wednesday.

Calhoun added: “We'll just train him on Wednesday morning and ship him over early.”

Global Campaign – Sagamore Farm's Global Campaign, who galloped 1 1/4m at Churchill Downs Monday morning, will ship to Keeneland Wednesday morning for his scheduled start in the Classic.

“He'll just gallop into the race. He's been training really, really well,” trainer Stanley Hough said.

Higher Power – Hronis Racing's Higher Power jogged once around on the main track at Keeneland with Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler, in the saddle.

The morning exercise marked the first day back on the track for Higher Power, who had worked 5f in 58 4/5 on Saturday, his fifth work since arriving at Keeneland a month ago.

Leyva said that Sadler, who won the 2018 Classic with Accelerate, will be at the barn in the morning.

Tacitus – One day after breezing 5f in 1:00 flat, the Bill Mott-trained Tacitus continued his preparation for the Longines Classic on Monday morning at Keeneland. While the majority of Thoroughbreds may walk or jog the day after a workout, the 4yo Juddmonte Farms blueblood did a little more. Leaving Barn 60 at just past 8 o'clock, the son of Tapit galloped one lap of the 1 1/16m main track under Felipe Castro.

“He had worked yesterday,” said Riley Mott, assistant trainer. “We usually take him to the track the day after he works just to do a little something, because he's pretty high-energy in the barn. He just galloped a short mile. He came out really good (from the breeze). He has good energy and is moving sound. His legs are good and he looks good.”

Title Ready – Charles Fipke's Title Ready braved the cold early this morning and galloped at his Churchill Downs base at 5:20 under exercise rider Emerson Chavez. Trained by Dallas Stewart, Title Ready is scheduled to arrive at Keeneland Wednesday.

Tiz the Law – Exercise rider Heather Smullen knows Sackatoga Stable's three-time Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law very well and likes how he feels and is acting approaching the Longines Classic.

With Smullen up Saturday, Tiz the Law breezed 5f in :59.20 at Keeneland. The rider and her enthusiastic 3yo colt were back on the track Monday for more routine daily exercise. Smullen said the son of Constitution was happy to be out on the sunny but chilly morning.

“Yes, he drug me around for a mile and a half,” she said with a laugh.

Tiz the Law won the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 28, the Belmont on June 20 and the Travers on Aug. 8 at Saratoga to climb to the top of the 3yo division. He has not competed since finishing second by 1 ¼ lengths to Authentic in the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5. On the advice of trainer Barclay Tagg, the owners decided to skip the Preakness on Oct. 3 and prepare for the Classic.

Tagg worked him a Belmont Park on Oct. 16 and shipped him to Keeneland two days later to give him three weeks – and two works – to become accustomed to the track. Smullen said Tiz the Law is comfortable and gearing up for his first try against older horses.

Tom's d'Etat – Two days after putting in his final serious breeze in advance of the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, G M B Racing's Tom's d'Etat returned to the track and put in a jog at Churchill Downs on Monday under the watch of trainer Al Stall Jr.

If simply getting a horse into a Breeders' Cup race is an achievement in itself, Tom's d'Etat's slated presence in Saturday's 10f test is a massive reward to his connections for the faith they have displayed through his start-and-stop career. Though the son of Smart Strike is the veteran of the Classic field at the age of 7, he has made just 19 career starts because of physical setbacks, including a pair of ankle surgeries.

Since November 2018, however, Tom's d'Etat has been able to stay healthy. After ending his 2019 season with consecutive wins in the Fayette and Clark, the bay horse has kept himself at the forefront of the handicap ranks this year with victories in the Oaklawn Mile and Stephen Foster.

“That's it. The continuity has just helped him where instead of starting and stopping, he's been actually good since November of 2018,” said Stall, who famously upset eventual Hall of Famer Zenyatta in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic with champion Blame. “He's basically been going forward since then. He's been a straight forward, regular horse for over two years now. That continuity has got his cardio perfect and has his mind just right. I think that's why we're where we are today.”

Tom's d'Etat hasn't started since finishing third in the Whitney at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 1, a race in which he stumbled at the break and lost all chance. Stall gave his charge some extra time to make sure no physical issues manifested after that troubled start and Tom's d'Etat has been solid on the work tab since, including a pair of bullet 6f moves on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24.

“I'm just happy for the horse. He deserves to be this type of horse,” Stall said. “We've felt that way all along and a lot of horses might have had this kind of untapped potential and not get to it. But for him to show up on this type of stage at this point in his career, I'm happy for him and the owners. My crew worked hard on this horse for a long, long time. It's a feel-good story.”

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With his regular work rider Heather Smullen in the irons, the New York-bred drilled five furlongs in :59.20 and galloped out an extra eighth of a mile in 1:12.20 (video).

“I saw just what I wanted. He went perfectly,” said trainer Barclay Tagg who will send out his 11th Breeders’ Cup starter next weekend. “We wanted him to go in :59 and he went in :59.20, so it was just right.”

Tiz the Law will be making his first start since dropping a 1 1/4-length decision at the hands of Authentic in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby and was an early arrival at Keeneland Oct. 18. Saturday’s work was his second locally, having breezed three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.20 Oct. 23.

“I thought he needs to get a good feel of this track (because) he has never run over it,” Tagg said of the plan to ship in the colt on the early side. “He has to run against older horses; it is going to be a tough race. “I have a super-duper crew and everything has gone right. We pay attention to the horses. We carry 30 horses at the most and try to get the best out of what we got, and every now and then we get a good one.”

Hronis Racing’s Higher Power (Medaglia d’Oro) has been on the grounds at Keeneland since early October and also tuned up for the Classic Saturday with a strong five-furlong work that was timed in :58.80, with a six-furlong gallop-out in 1:11.60 (video).

“I liked the way he came back from it,” said former jockey Juan Leyva, who serves as assistant to trainer John Sadler and who rode Musical Romance (Concorde’s Tune) to an upset victory in the 2011 GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. “He was blowing a little bit but not out of this world. His level of fitness has really progressed here.”

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stables’ Vequist (Nyquist) arrived into Lexington from Philadelphia this past Monday and geared up for her start in next Friday’s GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies by zipping a half-mile in :47.20 for trainer Butch Reid (video). The 9 1/2-length winner of the GI Spinaway S. at Saratoga Sept. 6, the dark bay was a latest second to the impressive Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) in the GI Frizette S. at Belmont Oct. 6.

“I think a work over the track is very important and that is why we came when we did,” Reid said. “She had three or four good gallops and the work was fine. She did work at Saratoga [before the Spinaway] but didn’t before the Frizette because Belmont is just up the road from Philadelphia.”

Reid, who won the 2011 GII Breeders’ Cup Marathon with Afleet Again (Afleet Alex), said that Joel Rosario will have the mount Friday.

Monomoy Girl Headlines Busy Morning at CD…

The Saturday morning worktab across Interstate 64 at Churchill was equally busy at it was at Keeneland, with no fewe than 27 Breeders’ Cup pre-entered horses getting in their final serious work.

The two females that will vie for favoritism in Saturday’s GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff were the marquee names on a chilly Louisville morning. Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) was one of a half-dozen workers for trainer Brad Cox, and the 2018 GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff heroine tuned up with a steady five-furlong work that was timed in 1:01 flat. With Florent Geroux up and galloping in the company of GI Dirt Mile hopeful Owendale (Into Mischief), Monomoy Girl went in fractions of :12.80, :24.60, :37 and :48.40 before pulling up six furlongs in 1:14.40 (video).

“She’s a champion mare and really a horse of a lifetime,” said Geroux, winner of four other Breeders’ Cup races in addition to the Distaff. “She’s a future Hall of Famer with her resume. The speed figures show she is a little bit faster this year than her 3-year-old year.”

Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), last-start winner of the GI Preakness S., breezed five-eighths of a mile in 1:00 flat in :24.60, :36.40 and :48.20 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.20 (video). While trainer Ken McPeek and owner Peter Callahan still have some work to do, Swiss Skydiver is likely to take up her spot against her peers on Breeders’ Cup Saturday.

Swiss Skydiver 5F 1:00. Splits: 24.3, 36.2, 48.1/1:13.1 #BC20 pic.twitter.com/5SWkzLJm5X

— Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) October 31, 2020

“At this point we’re going Distaff unless there’s a late defection from the Classic,” McPeek told pool reporters Saturday morning. “We had a chance to look at not only the regular past performances but all the Ragozin numbers and that’s what we’re doing.”

McPeek says Swiss Skydiver has been ticking right along and is pleased with what he saw on the track Saturday morning.

“She busted out 12s,” he said. “[Jockey] Robby [Albarado] really does have her number right now, he’s got her in nice rhythm out there and knows how she feels under him. I think we’re well loaded and we’ve got her right on even keel.”

McPeek, still in search of a maiden Breeders’ Cup victory, also sent out GI Darley Alcibiades S. romper Simply Ravishing (Laoban) to work five-eighths in 1:00 flat. She and Swiss Skydiver worked on their own.

Tom’s d’Etat (Smart Strike) will enter the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic with just three starts under his belt this season and will be having his first run since a troubled third to Improbable (City Zip) in the GI Whitney S. at Saratoga in early August. The dean of the field at age seven, the G M B Racing runner breezed a very easy four furlongs in :50.40 Saturday morning.

“We really just wanted to go out there and stretch his legs,” said trainer Al Stall, Jr. “It was just get him around there, save a lot of energy and come out of it nice and just be ready for Saturday.”

Bell’s the One (Majesticperfection) may lack the star power, even with her defeat of Serengeti Empress (Alternation) in the GI Derby City Distaff Sept. 5, but the 4-year-old continues to thrive and worked a smooth half-mile in :47 3/5 at Churchill Downs Saturday morning.

“She did just what we wanted, just wanted an easy half and did it very easily and we’re set to go,” trainer Neil Pessin told pool reporter Alicia Wincze Hughes.”

The defection and subsequent retirement of Bellafina (Quality Road) could make life more difficult for Bell’s the One, in Pessin’s estimation.

“I don’t know if anyone is fast enough to go with Serengeti,” he opined. “Bellafina was, she laid right off her. Venetian Harbor (Munnings) and Gamine (Into Mischief) are speed horses, but they’ve never gone faster than :45 in their lives and Serengeti can go :43 3/5. If they go :44 and two or three, that sets it up better for Serengeti than for us. But we’re doing good, my filly is going to run her race and hopefully we can catch them at the end.”

Three of Bob Baffert’s top Breeders’ Cup contenders put in their final breezes ahead of their respective World Championship races at Santa Anita Saturday morning.

GI Kentucky Derby hero Authentic (Into Mischief) covered five panels in :59.60 (7/53) (video) ahead of the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic. The ‘TDN Rising Star’ was last seen finishing second to GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff-bound Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3.

“He was out there doing his thing,” Baffert told the TDN when reached by phone. “He always works alone, him and Improbable. They are both very willing. He bounced out of the Preakness really well and his last two works were pretty strong. He is about as ready as I can have him. I really like the way he is coming into this race.”

Fellow BC Classic contender Maximum Security (New Year’s Day) also breezed five furlongs in Arcadia Saturday, stopping the clock in 1:00.60 (14/53) (video). Winner of the GI TVG Pacific Classic Aug. 22, the bay was second to his stablemate Improbable (City Zip)–who is scheduled to work Sunday–in the GI Awesome Again S. Sept. 26.

“He went well,” Baffert said of Maximum Security. “He is the lazier type [in his breezes], but he gets enough out of his works. He looks great. He will be right there.”

‘TDN Rising Star’ Gamine (Into Mischief) clocked the fastest five-furlong work of the Baffert trio, covering the distance in :59.40 (2/53) (video). An ultra impressive winner of both the GI Longines Acorn S. and GI Longines Test S., the bay was last seen finishing third in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4 and will cut back in trip for the GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Sprint S.

“Gamine looked fantastic,” Baffert said. “She just sat there with another horse and when he asked her to pick it up, she just went boom. She has matured and just looks really good coming into this race. She has been on the lead and she makes the lead because she is brilliant on her own. But, she is not a speed crazy type of horse. I can see she is on top of her game.”

Baffert also offered a comment on GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies contender and ‘TDN Rising Star’ Princess Noor (Not This Time), who breezed five panels in :59.80 (3/43) in Arcadia Friday.

“She worked yesterday. She looks great,” Baffert said. “On paper, her numbers don’t stack up to those other fillies, but she has done everything here in a hand ride. I think she is special. The thing about the Breeders’ Cup is you can brag all you want, but when the gate comes open, the separation begins. That is the beauty of the Breeders’ Cup. That’s why they have it. The good horses, they separate themselves.”

Baffert’s Breeders’ Cup contingent will fly to Keeneland Tuesday for the Nov. 6-7 World Championships.

Another Hall of Famer sent out a BC-bound Saturday morning in Arcadia with GI Breeders’ Cup Turf runner United (Giant’s Causeway) covering six panels in 1:15 (1/2) (video) for Richard Mandella.

Pletcher Pair Take To Belmont Main Track…

Trainer Todd Pletcher was on hand to see the final Breeders’ Cup works for Halladay (War Front) and Valiance (Tapit) Saturday morning on a brisk Long Island morning.

Halladay, unraced since wiring the field in the GI Fourstardave H. at Saratoga Aug. 22, clocked :49.21 (video) for his four-furlong breeze over the main track. It was the third work for Halladay since having to be scratched from the GI Shadwell Mile S. Oct. 3 with a hind-leg infection.

“I was happy we were able to get it in today. The track dried out pretty nicely considering all of the rain we’ve had,” Pletcher said. “Halladay was a touch keen early on. He went off a little quick but then he relaxed, settled quickly, finished up strong and galloped out well. I was happy with that.”

Also working by her lonesome was GI Juddmonte Spinster S. upsetter Valiance, who stopped the clock in :49 flat (video).

“Valiance maintains form really well. Not only was her work good, but she galloped out well. She seems to be doing as well as she can at the moment,” Pletcher said.

Luis Saez has the call on both horses in the GI Breeders’ Cup Mile and GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, respectively.

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“I saw just what I wanted. He went perfectly,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “We wanted him to go in :59 and he went in :59.20 so it was just right.”

Tiz the Law arrived at Keeneland Oct. 18, and this morning's work was his second over the track. He worked 6 furlongs in 1:13.20 on Oct. 23.

“I thought he needs to get a good feel of this track (because) he has never run over it,” Tagg said of the early arrival. “He has to run against older horses; it is going to be a tough race.

“I have a super-duper crew and everything has gone right (with Tiz the Law). We pay attention to the horses. We carry 30 horses at the most and try to get the best out of what we got and every now and then we get a good one.”

The only Classic pre-entrant to have been at Keeneland longer than Tiz the Law is Hronis Racing's Higher Power.

Early Saturday morning, Higher Power recorded his fifth work since arriving here the first of the month from Southern California.

With Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler, aboard, Higher Power worked five furlongs in :58.80 and galloped out 6 furlongs in 1:11.60.

“I liked the way he came back from it,” Leyva said. “He was blowing a little bit but not out of this world. His level of fitness has really progressed here.”

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With regular rider Heather Smullen aboard, the NY-bred colt worked in fractions of :26, :49.60, 1:13.20 and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.80.

“I wanted to get him used to the track, and I think he gets over any track better than Churchill,” trainer Barclay Tagg said in reference to Churchill Downs, where Tiz the Law suffered the only two losses of his stellar career. “If he shows improvement next week, even better.”

“The first time he works at a track, he looks around,” Smullen said. “Today he went out and did his job and galloped out nicely. His next work he’ll be more aggressive and that should set him up nicely for the race.”

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“He's doing good,” trainer Barclay Tagg said about the colt, who arrived here late Sunday afternoon, jogged Monday and galloped an easy mile Tuesday. “He had a strong mile-and-a-half gallop this morning.”

Tagg brought Tiz the Law, winner of this year's Belmont (G1), Travers (G1), Curlin Florida Derby (G1) and Holy Bull (G3), to Keeneland early for the Breeders' Cup World Championships so the colt could get two works over the track. The Classic will be his first start since a runner-up finish in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve.

“He'll work Friday or Saturday,” Tagg said of Tiz the Law, who had his fourth work since the Kentucky Derby last Friday before he departed Belmont Park. “I have a two-day leeway.”

Isolated thunderstorms are forecast for Friday morning in the Lexington area with morning showers expected Saturday.

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Under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law went in company with stablemate Niko’s Dream (Central Banker) (five furlongs in 1:01.05) before drawing away at the top of the lane. He recorded splits of :13.07, :24.84, :36.43, and :47.63 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.46 and one mile in 1:40.05.

“He just goes out there and does his job,” Smullen said. “He was on the bridle, breaking off of her [Niko’s Dream] and then he decided ‘Well, it’s time to finish up’ and he just went on away from her. He does everything you expect a good horse to do.”

“We wanted him to settle next to [Niko’s Dream], which he did,” said trainer Barclay Tagg’s assistant and longtime partner Robin Smullen said. “They went the first three-eighths in 36 and 4. He galloped out seven-eighths in 1:25. He pulled up great, cooled out well.”

A decisive winner of the GI Belmont S. June 20, Tiz the Law was ultra-impressive when capturing the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 8 and was second in the GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5. Connections chose to skip the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and train up to the Classic.

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Tiz the Law, who will ship to Keeneland by van on Sunday to continue his Breeders' Cup preparations, stepped foot onto the track just after 6:30 a.m. under overcast skies and a sliver of daylight, accompanied by stablemate and three-time winning filly Niko's Dream [five furlongs in 1:01.05] with trainer Barclay Tagg looking on from his pony.

Under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law went in company with Niko's Dream before drawing away at the top of the lane. He recorded splits of 13.07, 24.84, 36.43, and 47.63 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.46 and one mile in 1:40.05.

“He just goes out there and does his job,” Smullen said. “He was on the bridle, breaking off of her [Niko's Dream] and then he decided 'Well, it's time to finish up' and he just went on away from her. He does everything you expect a good horse to do.”

Tagg's partner and longtime assistant, Robin Smullen, said she was very happy with the work.

“We wanted him to settle next to [Niko's Dream], which he did,” Smullen said. “They went the first three-eighths in 36 and 4. He galloped out seven-eighths in 1:25. He pulled up great, cooled out well.”

The move was the four-time Grade 1 winner's fourth work since finishing second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby last month, where he finished three-quarters of a length to Authentic. He scored in his prior four starts this season in dominant fashion beginning with the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby, both at Gulfstream Park. Tiz the Law then posted a sensational 3 ¾-length victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20, where he became the first state bred to win the American Classic in 138 years, and followed with a triumph by 5 ½ lengths in Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga.

With three weeks out from the Breeders' Cup Classic, Tiz the Law will complete his final serious preparation for the classic-distance event at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, where this year's event is scheduled to be held from November 6-7.

Smullen said Tiz the Law tends to run better when he has time to get acclimated to new surroundings.

“He seems like he's at his best when he does,” Smullen said. “His best race was at Saratoga and we were there for a few weeks before we actually ran in the Travers, and that was his best race by far. In Florida, he had to ship down to Gulfstream [from Palm Meadows Training Center] and we breezed him there. His first race was good, but the Florida Derby was better.

“His second race going over the track was better,” she added. “We didn't take him back down to breeze him. We kept him at Palm Meadows. Looking at it from that standpoint this far out from what we know now, his best races are when he has a couple of works over the track. We discussed that and decided the best we could possibly do for him is give him two works over that track.”

Smullen praised Tiz the Law for his intelligence and being able to place himself right where he needs to be, building a rapport with jockey Manny Franco.

“If you watch his replay in the Belmont, Manny is just sitting there and leaves him alone. If he breaks and he's good, he'll place himself,” Smullen said. “He's not grabbing, he's not rank, he's going to place himself where he's comfortable and Manny is smart enough to see what's going on. If it's real slow and Tiz automatically moves up, you're not going to say 'Hey, I don't want you to move,' you're going to sit there because Tiz is just going to be running his race.

“From a jockey's standpoint, he's got to be one of the easiest horses to ride,” Smullen continued. He always puts you where you need to be. We'll just have to see what our post is and take it from there, but I think he's tactical enough where he can do whatever he wants to do.”

A $110,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling Sale, the Constitution bay has amassed $2,615,300 in purse earnings. Bred in the Empire State by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the graded stakes winning Tiznow mare Tizfiz.

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The bay son of Constitution stepped foot on the track around 6:30 a.m. and broke off at the five-eighths pole with regular exercise rider Heather Smullen aboard, recording splits of 25 and 36.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.30 and seven furlongs in 1:29.14 for trainer Barclay Tagg.

“It was a great work. He went well,” Tagg said. “He's been very straightforward.”

The move was Tiz the Law's third work since finishing second Sept. 5 in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, where he finished three-quarters of a length behind Authentic. He scored in his prior four starts this season in dominant fashion beginning with the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby, both at Gulfstream Park. Tiz the Law then posted a sensational 3 3/4-length victory in 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 followed with a triumph in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga, which he won by 5 1/2 lengths.

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.

Smullen, who has been aboard Tiz the Law for his last several breezes since the Kentucky Derby, said she was pleased with the work.

“The horse was really good. It was early and the track was a little dry and cuppy,” Smullen said. “It wasn't the fastest, but he was really comfortable and did everything on his own. It was nice and consistent. He's getting back to feeling happy like he was before we went out to Churchill.”

Smullen praised Tiz the Law for his level of intelligence and said not all horses of his ilk are as easy to manage.

“He's very smart, but on top of being very smart, he's manageable which is nice,” Smullen said. “Some horses that are fast are not manageable like him. He's just smart in how he goes about life.”

The connections of Tiz the Law opted to bypass the Grade 1 Preakness and instead 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 New York by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the graded stakes winning Tiznow mare Tizfiz.

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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,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He scoped well and everything is going good with him.”

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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With trainer Barclay Tagg escorting alongside on a pony, Tiz the Law jogged to the frontside of the track and then galloped once around under Heather Smullen during the 7:30-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern) training window for Derby and Oaks horses.

Before returning to the barn, Tiz the Law visited the Derby starting gate in the chute for a brief get-acquainted session.

Also making their initial Derby Week appearances on track were Ny Traffic, Money Moves and South Bend who arrived on the same flight from Albany, New York, with Tiz the Law on Tuesday.

ATTACHMENT RATE – Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Attachment Rate was on the track at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and galloped 1 ½ miles with Faustino Herrarte in the saddle.

“We'll continue to gallop two more days and be ready for Derby,” trainer Dale Romans said.

Attachment Rate is scheduled to school in Race 6 on Wednesday.

AUTHENTIC/THOUSAND WORDS – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was on hand at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning to see for himself how his Derby duo of Authentic and Thousand Words were progressing in advance of the 1 ¼-mile classic.

Thousand Words, who is owned by Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm, hit the track first, going out during a heavy round of rain just after 6 a.m. The son of Pioneerof the Nile turned in a routine gallop with Authentic also galloping twice around the Louisville oval when he emerged during the special 7:30 a.m. training slot for Derby and Oaks horses.

“It's a wet track so you really can't tell if they like it or not, but so far everything seems well,” Baffert said of his duo. “It's gone smooth, that's what you want.”

Both Thousand Words and Authentic are coming into the Kentucky Derby off victories in their most recent outings with the former taking the Shared Belief Stakes over Grade 1 winner Honor A. P. Aug. 1 and Authentic annexing the Haskell Stakes (GI) July 18.

“They're coming off of wins and that's very important,” Baffert said. “And you need to, you need to be at your best right now. That's why they're doing well.”

The early speed Authentic has flaunted in his five career starts likely will be put to the test Saturday as he will break from the far outside post in the 18-horse field.

“He's got so much natural speed and that's such an important part of the Derby,” said Ned Toffey, general manager of Spendthrift Farm, which also co-owns Authentic along with My Racehorse, Madaket Stables, and Starlight Racing. “He should be able to put himself in a good position. And we'll see how he goes down the stretch.”

ENFORCEABLE – With trainer Mark Casse set to arrive in Louisville Thursday afternoon, assistant trainer David Carroll continues to oversee the preparations for John Oxley's Enforceable as he again worked to keep the colt from doing too much during his gallop Wednesday morning.

“Mentally he's in a great place, I couldn't be any happier with him,” said Carroll, who himself sent out the third-place finisher in the 2008 Kentucky Derby with Dennis of Cork.

Enforceable will break from post No. 3 in the Kentucky Derby but his running style figures to have him well back in the early going.

“Personally I would like to see him a little further out in the draw but we couldn't be asking for him to be doing any better,” Carroll said.

FINNICK THE FIERCE – There is no guesswork involved for Rey Hernandez when it comes to evaluating how his charge, Finnick the Fierce, is progressing in the days leading up to the Kentucky Derby. The trainer and co-owner is the relatively rare breed who gets on his horses himself, and what he has felt from the chestnut gelding in of late is giving him confidence as they collective dive into their deepest waters yet.

Hernandez guided Finnick the Fierce during his routine gallop Wednesday as the two took the track during the special 7:30 a.m. training slot for Oaks and Derby contenders.

“I think it's a big plus (getting on your own horses) because you can feel how they're doing and you know everything about them,” Hernandez said. “It's to your advantage.”

Finnick the Fierce has gained a sentimental following because of the fact he is missing his right eye, the result of a congenital cataract.

“Just in the beginning we tried to be really careful with him, how we approached him on his blind side,” co-owner Arnaldo Monge said. “Rey did a great job when he was breaking him of giving him the confidence that everything was going to be OK. Kudos to Rey for how he handled this horse in the beginning.”

HONOR A. P. – C R K Stable's Honor A. P. , the 5-1 second choice on the Kentucky Derby morning line, galloped 1 ½ miles with exercise rider Javier Hernandez aboard at 7:30 a.m. after visiting the starting gate for the first time.

“He's doing good, excellent,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “The gate was a good learning experience for him. He needed that.”

MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm's Major Fed galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday with Margarito Fierro in the saddle.

The son of 2004 horse of the year Ghostzapper is likely to school in the paddock Thursday.

MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred Corp.'s Max Player, who worked Monday and walked Tuesday, returned to the track during the second set for trainer Steve Asmussen and jogged once around under regular exercise rider Juan Vargas.

Asmussen, who is still seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory despite being Churchill Downs' winningest trainer, thinks the biggest difference between running the Derby in September rather than May is that by now many of the horses already have sorted themselves out.

“This late in the year, I think horses are a lot more sorted out in what they are going to do,” Asmussen said. “It's going to be interesting. There are certain people in the race, riders you know their tendencies. I don't think pace is going to be as fast as it could be because of that. We'll be watching how the track plays this week.

“This is unprecedented to say the least. We feel fortunate to have Max Player, a horse of his talent that is doing this well right now.”

MONEY MOVES – Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable's Money Moves had one of the most heralded set of eyes in the sport keeping watch on him as he got his first feel of the Churchill Downs track during his gallop on Wednesday.

With his trainer Todd Pletcher remaining in New York at his Saratoga base this week, the lightly raced son of Candy Ride (ARG) is having his Kentucky Derby preparations handled by the legend that is Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. That Lukas is now acting as an “assistant” of sorts for Pletcher is the equivalent of Obi Wan Kenobi readying Luke Skywalker's light saber given that the latter famously cut his teeth working for the four-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer.

“I just did what I was told,” said Lukas, who celebrated his 85th birthday Wednesday. “I sent him out there and he had a good maintenance gallop. We'll school him in the gate tomorrow. Todd just said 'Run him like you would any of your others'.”

“First of all he's a great friend for doing it,” Pletcher added by phone. “They've gone out of their way to accommodate us. Part of the decision making process of going with this horse was that one of the challenges was with the staff. It's been a difficult time for our staff in general all year losing the visa workers and (Lukas) was able to accommodate us and, that way, we don't have to go through the quarantine process coming back.”

Lukas recently returned to his barn after battling the COVID-19 virus, and he makes no bones about how hard the illness hit him. The resilience Lukas has shown in his recovery, however, is par for the course for the man who had made a career out of pulling off extraordinary feats.

“He's a remarkable man. My biggest concern was I knew he had a bout with COVID-19 and I didn't want to be a burden in any way on him,” Pletcher said. “But I could tell from talking to him that his voice was strong and he was feeling good compared to the week before. That was my main concern was I didn't want to be a burden for him.”

Money Moves comes into Saturday with just three career starts to his credit and none against stakes company. The bay colt has held his own against older horses, though, finishing second last time out in an allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga on July 25.

“He came into us with high expectations and I thought he ran very impressively to win his first two races,” Pletcher said. “Unfortunately after that he got sick and we missed several weeks of training so it kind of knocked out the original schedule that we hoped for.

“By the time we got him back, we were in kind of a difficult position because we didn't feel like he was quite ready to run in the Peter Pan off the long layoff. We were in a tough spot. We ran him 1 1/8 miles first time around two turns against older horses and he fared pretty well. It was a very tough race, he was almost able to win and his figures came back strong. After that, it started to look like it might not take any points to get into the Derby, so the ownership group expressed interest in monitoring how he's training and he trained well. We got together after his last breeze and weighed the pros and cons and they felt like we don't get these opportunities but once in a horse's life, so let's take a shot.”

MR. BIG NEWS – Allied Racing's $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes winner Mr. Big News galloped about 1 ½ miles Wednesday morning at 7:30 for trainer Bret Calhoun.

“He's bred with a lot of turf on both sides of the family,” Calhoun said. “He worked over the turf here twice and I don't think we'll get a good grip of how good he would handle the surface with how soft it is. He's breezed great over the dirt here and was very impressive over the winter at Oaklawn.”

NECKER ISLAND – Raymond Daniels, Wayne Scheer and Will Harbut Racing's Necker Island jogged two miles early Wednesday morning in the rain with Hillary Hartman aboard for her husband, trainer Chris Hartman.

Necker Island, who represents the first Kentucky Derby starter for the 47-year-old Hartman, drew post 11 for the Run for the Roses and is listed at 50-1 on the morning line.

A two-time winner in 10 starts with both of those victories coming at Churchill Downs, Necker Island will race without blinkers for the first time Saturday. Miguel Mena has the mount.

NY TRAFFIC – Haskell Invitational (GI) runner-up Ny Traffic had his first gallop over a wet Churchill Downs track at 7:30 a.m. and then visited the starting gate with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and co-owner John Fanelli looking on. The gray Cross Traffic colt, who also is owned by Cash is King and Paul Braverman, arrived on a flight from New York Tuesday shortly before he drew post 15 of 18.

“I thought he went well,” Joseph said. “The track was a little sloppy, so I was undecided if we were going to gallop or jog today, but looking at the weather, there's more rain on the way, so we may jog tomorrow and I decided to go on and gallop. He went well. He was nice and relaxed. He showed good energy. He stood in the gate. So far, all is well.”

Ny Traffic, who has not been worse than third in five starts in 2020, has shown improvement in each of his races and his connections are hopeful he can perform well in the Kentucky Derby and are pleased with how he has trained since the Haskell July 18.

“He's done well. He's trained forwardly. He has a good series of breezes in,” Joseph said. “Our preparation as far as a race horse coming into a race has gone as well as we could have asked. The Haskell was his best race as far as handicapping figures. He's going to need to improve to compete with horses like Tiz the Law and Honor A. P., but we feel with the spacing of his races he should have improvement again. You never know for sure. Each race he's made a little jump and if he makes another little jump again, he's right there among the leaders.”

SOLE VOLANTE – Reeves Thoroughbreds and Andie Biancone's Sole Volante continued his routine of jogging alongside the pony Wednesday during the 7:30 a.m. special training time with his co-owner in the saddle. Andie Biancone also has been handling the training duties for father Patrick Biancone, who is staying in South Florida.

SOUTH BEND – With his Kentucky Derby gear still being constructed, South Bend took to the track with his usual Bill Mott saddle towel as he galloped during the special 7:30 a.m. training session for Oaks and Derby horses.

A late entrant to the Derby fray, South Bend heads into Saturday's test off a fourth-place finish in the Travers Stakes (GI) at Saratoga on Aug. 8. Though he is winless in eight starts this year, the bay colt has flashed potential, most notably running second in the Ohio Derby (GIII) June 27 while still in the barn of his prior trainer Stanley Hough.

Campaigned by Sagamore Farm through his first 11 starts, including a victory in the Street Sense last fall at Churchill Downs, South Bend was acquired by a partnership group that includes Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, Peter Deutsch and Leonard Schleifer of Pantofel Stable.

“He was previously with Stanley so he's trained over this track (Churchill Downs) many times,” said Kenny McCarthy, assistant to Mott. “This horse, it was a bit of a last-minute decision to go into the race but having said that, I think initially when the horse was purchased, that might have been in the back of their minds to try and get themselves a Derby horse. Obviously with the defection of Art Collector, they figured let's take a shot.”

STORM THE COURT – Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock's Storm the Court galloped a mile and half under Thomas Dubaele at 7:30 Wednesday morning.

Winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) at 45-1, Storm the Court is winless in five starts since.

“It is part of growing up,” trainer Peter Eurton said of the 2020 campaign. “He matured early even though he is a late May foal. He has been running well and figuring things out. This would be the perfect time for him to do that.”

Storm the Court, who is housed in the same stall as 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, will brerak from post four as a 50-1 morning line proposition under Julien Leparoux.

“It is a quality field,” Eurton said. “Art Collector not entering Tuesday was a big loss for the public and the Derby.”

TIZ THE LAW – Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law galloped once around the sealed track under Heather Smullen and then visited the starting gate for trainer Barclay Tagg.

Tiz the Law drew post 17 and was installed as the 3-5 morning line favorite, the shortest such price in Mike Battaglia's since the entry of Easy Goer and Awe Inspiring in 1989.

“There was a lot of tension at the table as the numbers drew down,” said Jack Knowlton, head of Sackatoga. “It was down to the two or 17 and I think the 17 is a great spot.”

Prior to Tuesday's draw and the 3-5 morning line assignment, Battaglia's lowest priced program favorite was Empire Maker at 6-5 in 2003. The winner that year was Funny Cide, owned by Sackatoga and trained by Tagg.

Funny Cide represented Tagg's first Kentucky Derby starter.

“They're both fast. They're different types,” Tagg said comparing Tiz the Law with Funny Cide. “He's kind of a stockier horse than Funny Cide but distance doesn't seem to faze him. He's not as tough to train as Funny Cide, Funny Cide was a very hard horse to ride and very hard horse to train. This horse just does what you ask him to do. He's strong, he's on the muscle but he's a real pleasure to work with.”

WINNING IMPRESSION – West Point Thoroughbreds and Pearl Racing's Winning Impression galloped 1 ½ miles at 6 a.m. Wednesday with Emerson Chavez on board.

“We're ready for the Derby,” Chavez said on his walk back to trainer Dallas Stewart's Barn 34.

Winning Impression is 50-1 on the morning line for Saturday's “Run for the Roses.”

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