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Tiz The Law Draws 17; Top Three Choices To Break From Outside Posts In Rescheduled Kentucky Derby

Belmont Stakes and Travers winner Tiz the Law will seek Kentucky Derby glory from post 17 of 18 in Saturday's rescheduled Run for the Roses. Trainer Barclay Tagg and owner Sackatoga Stable will be trying for their second win in the Run for the Roses; they first captured the race with New York-bred Funny Cide in 2003.

Veteran oddsmaker Mike Battaglia gave Tiz the Law morning line odds of 3-5, the lowest since 1989. The race's top three choices will all be on the far outside in the new 20-stall starting gate: Honor A. P. in post 16, Tiz the Law in post 17, and Authentic in post 18.

Horses will be entered in the new 20-stall starting gate away from the rail, so the third slot will become post position one.

The full field is as follows:

Finnick the Fierce – Rey Hernandez – Martin Garcia (50-1)
Max Player – Steve Asmussen – Ricardo Santana, Jr. (30-1)
Enforceable – Mark Casse – Adam Beschizza (30-1)
Storm the Court – Peter Eurton – Julien Leparoux (50-1)
Major Fed – Greg Foley – James Graham (50-1)
King Guillermo – Juan Carlos Avila – Samy Camacho (20-1)
Money Moves – Todd Pletcher – Javier Castellano (30-1)
South Bend – Bill Mott – Tyler Gaffalione (50-1)
Mr. Big News – Bret Calhoun – Gabriel Saez (50-1)
Thousand Words – Bob Baffert – Florent Geroux (15-1)
Necker Island – Chris Hartman – Miguel Mena (50-1) *blinkers off
Sole Volante – Patrick Biancone – Luca Panici (30-1)
Attachment Rate – Dale Romans – Joe Talamo (50-1)
Winning Impression – Dallas Stewart – Joe Rocco, Jr. (50-1)
Ny Traffic – Saffie Joseph, Jr. – Paco Lopez (20-1)
Honor A. P. – John Shirreffs – Mike Smith (5-1)
Tiz the Law – Barclay Tagg – Manny Franco (3-5)
Authentic – Bob Baffert – John Velazquez (8-1)

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After COVID-19 Recovery, Lukas Urges Others: Don’t Get Complacent With This Virus

At the age of 85, trainer D. Wayne Lukas told reporters at Churchill Downs this week he thinks he was already pretty good at appreciating each day in the barn, but a recent bout of COVID-19 has made him even more thankful to be there.

Lukas recently tested negative and returned to work after what he estimates was 15 to 20 days away from the barn – a major departure for a trainer who prides himself on being out on the pony before the sun is up each day. The Hall of Famer said that he went to the hospital after feeling ill and was initially told it was unlikely he had the novel coronavirus. The hospital sent him home. A few hours later, someone at the facility called and told him his test had come back positive. By then, Lukas already suspected that was the case.

Lukas said he struggled mightily to breathe, experienced gastrointestinal symptoms, and felt extremely weak. He did not experience joint aches and pains or lose his sense of smell and taste, as is commonly reported among those with mild cases.

“It affects everybody differently,” Lukas said. “It affected me very strongly. I got really sick.

“I don't think we really know a lot about it. even the medical people I think are still learning. That's going to make the vaccine, if we get it, it's going to be more difficult I think because I don't think they've got a good handle on it.”

At times, he said he faded in and out of consciousness.

“I felt like I was drifting away,” he recalled. “You just wish you could get one breath of air.”

Strangely, Lukas said his wife Laurie tested negative for COVID-19, despite being in close proximity to him throughout his illness. He also knows of others who have tested positive but never had symptoms.

Lukas said he has no idea how he picked up the virus, as he has strictly followed social distancing protocols at work each day and has refrained from going out to restaurants. When he's out at morning training, Lukas is usually on his pony, which creates an automatic six-foot perimeter around him, so he thought he had been sufficiently careful.

When he did begin to feel better, Lukas said he still kept away from his barn a few extra days to avoid transmitting the virus to his staff. Now, he said his energy levels are finally back where they should be.

As masking and distancing requirements drag on more than six months after the pandemic began, Lukas said he wants fans to know that although it's easy to get weary and less careful, it's important to continue doing everything they can to avoid transmitting COVID-19 to others.

“I just think people should not take it for granted or get complacent,” he said. “I'd keep my distance, wear my mask. I wouldn't tempt fate. I wouldn't give it a chance in any way, shape or form. If I could say one thing to people, I see people taking it lightly and I think that's a mistake, whether you're my age or 20.”

Thanks to the National Turfwriters and Broadcasters Association (NTWAB), which has assembled a group of pool reporters providing independent reporting to members unable to be on the Churchill Downs grounds this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Voodoo Justice Becomes First Winner For Indiana Sire Harry’s Holiday

An impressive victory leading at every point of call on Monday at Indiana Grand made Voodoo Justice the first winner for her sire, Harry's Holiday, BloodHorse reports.

Voodoo Justice broke on top in the 5 1/2-furlong main track race and she never looked back, leading by 3 1/2 lengths in the stretch and extending her advantage to 5 1/2 lengths at the finish under jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan. The filly stopped the clock in 1:06.68 over a fast track for owner Rancho Monarca LLC and trainer Antonio Duran.

Bred in Indiana by Justice Farm and Greg Justice, Voodoo Justice is out of the stakes-winning Good and Tough mare Vain Vixen.

Harry's Holiday, a 9-year-old son of Harlan's Holiday, stands at Southern Indiana Equine in Austin, Ind., for an advertised fee of $3,000.

He won three of 13 starts during his on-track career for earnings of $197,657, highlighted by a win in the 96ROCK Stakes at Turfway Park. He also finished third in the listed John Battaglia Memorial Stakes and second by a nose in the G3 Spiral Stakes.

Harry's Holiday is out of the unraced Orientate mare Daily Mason, who is herself a daughter of Broodmare of the Year Leslie's Lady. This puts Harry's Holiday in close relation to leading sire Into Mischief, multiple Eclipse Award winner Beholder, and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn.

First Winner For Majestic Harbor Comes At Indiana Grand

Grade 1 winner Majestic Harbor was represented by his first winner at stud on Monday when Dance Money went wire-to-wire and held on to win a maiden special weight race at Indiana Grand.

Under jockey Santo Sanjur, Dance Money held off foes for the lead early in the 5 1/2-furlong main track race, and shook loose by two lengths at the top of the stretch. The filly then held off a late charge by Sweet Justice to hang on by a neck at odds of 23-1. She stopped the clock in 1:07.13 for owners Barbara Eakin and Shelly Nance, and trainer Jonathan Nance.

Dance Money was bred in Indiana by Anthony Wolfe and Julie Mudman. She is out of the placed Cactus Ridge mare Cactusa, who raced as a homebred for Toby Keith's Dream Walkin Farms.

Majestic Harbor stands at Harris Farms in Coalinga, Calif., for an advertised fee of $2,500. However, he began his stud career in Indiana at Swifty Farms.

A 12-year-old son of Rockport Harbor, Majestic Harbor won 10 of 42 starts over seven seasons of racing for earnings of $1,295,814. His race record is highlighted by victories in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes, the G2 Alysheba Stakes, and the G3 Tokyo City Cup Stakes and Mineshaft Handicap.

Majestic Harbor is out of the stakes-placed French Deputy mare Champagne Royale, making him a half-brother to Grade 1-winner and classic-placed Danza, stakes-placed Tickled Pink, and graded stakes producer Totally Tucker, who is herself the dam of Grade 3 winners Totally Boss and Super Steed.

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