Robin Smullen | Horse Racing Free Tips

Tagg Calls Tiz The Law’s Penultimate Derby Work ‘Perfect’

After Saturday's sudden downpour in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., that drastically changed the track conditions and postponed Tiz the Law's workout, the Sackatoga Stable-owned colt was the first horse on the Saratoga Race Course main track Sunday, breezing five furlongs in a bullet 59.47 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on September 5.

At 5:30 a.m., on the main track rated fast with exercise rider Heather Smullen up, Tiz the Law reached three furlongs in :35 3/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 and up in 1:26 for seven furlongs.

Trainer Barclay Tagg said the workout for the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Grade 1 Runhappy Travers champ was “perfect” as he prepares for the Kentucky Derby, second leg of the Triple Crown, at Churchill Downs. The third leg of the Triple Crown, the Grade 1 Preakness, is slated for October 3 at Pimlico Race Course.

“It went fast enough, but not too fast,” Tagg said. “It was a little quicker than usual, but it wasn't too quick for him. He's a pretty fast horse. I told Heather I wanted a good work in him. I didn't want to set any records out there. I wanted her to keep a good snug hold on him. I wanted a good work.”

This was the first workout for Tiz the Law since winning the Travers by 5 1/2 lengths on August 8. With two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, Tagg said this workout was important.

“This is an important workout. In one way, I don't have any way to make up for it,” Tagg said. “It's the first thing he has done in the last two or three weeks. That's why I needed a good work today. If he goes a little too slow going on top of the race, I wouldn't want that, but I don't want it too fast either. It's going to have to be almost perfect. If it's just like today, that would be fine. I can only work him two times before this race. To me, this work was more important.”

Smullen said the colt performed in a professional manner while working on the Saratoga main track.

“It was a little dark and he wasn't quite as focused going down the backside,” she said. “He was playing around. At the three-eighths pole, I took my stick out. He stayed nice and straight. I never had to ask him. At the eighth pole, he saw a horse. I didn't have to do anything. He finished up his work. Galloping out, he just kept going. He's good at what he does.”

Watching near the clocker stand on the backstretch, Sackatoga Stable principal owner Jack Knowlton said he was also impressed with the workout and gallop out.

“Pretty amazing,” Knowlton said. “If you watch him gallop out, he just wants more. He isn't even breathing hard, which is pretty amazing. They didn't expect that he was going to have a fast work. They wanted him to have a vigorous work and gallop out and get a lot out of the work. I think they got all of that and more. [Assistant trainer] Robin [Smullen] and Barclay said not to expect a real fast time because the plan was to be off the rail because the rail was pretty deep.”

Tagg also had Joyce B. Young's Highland Sky working over the Oklahoma training turf course this morning in preparation for the Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer. Also with Smullen aboard, the 7-year-old gelding went in 1:01.22.

Highland Sky made a belated run from the back of the field in the Grade 2 Bowling Green, crossing the wire in third before being elevated to second behind Cross Border. This was the second workout off that race as his first workout was a bullet in 1:00 1/5 on August 14.

“He's doing well since that race,” Tagg said. “If he wasn't doing well, I wouldn't be running him.”

Almost five years ago [September 5, 2015] Highland Sky won his debut at Saratoga going 1 1/16 miles over the turf course. He has also won over the Saratoga main track by taking the John's Call in the off-the-turf event last August by 81/4 lengths.

The post Tagg Calls Tiz The Law’s Penultimate Derby Work ‘Perfect’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Tagg: Tiz The Law ‘Did Everything A Good Horse Ought To Do’

Sackatoga Stable's Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers winner Tiz the Law was bright eyed the morning after a 5 1/2-length victory in Saratoga Race Course's marquee race, where he registered a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure.

Just shortly after training concluded for the morning, trainer Barclay Tagg was at his barn on the backstretch of the Saratoga Springs, N.Y., track standing next to the garland of carnations that had been draped around the now four-time Grade 1 winner's neck on Saturday.

Tagg said his star 3-year-old colt was in good order.

“He looks fine,” Tagg said. “I was very pleased with the way he ran. He did everything a good horse ought to do and did it perfectly.”

Patiently guided by regular pilot Manny Franco, the son of Constitution was forwardly placed early as Uncle Chuck set a moderate pace up front, took charge nearing the quarter-pole and drew off in style. The scenario played out exactly the way Tagg envisioned it.

“I pictured the horse being at his best laying second or third in the two path just off the leader and I figured the leader would be [Bob] Baffert's horse [Uncle Chuck]. We discussed that and that's exactly what he did,” said Tagg.

Tagg praised Franco for being an ideal pilot aboard Tiz the Law.

“They work well together, they know each other and it's a good combination,” Tagg said.

After becoming the first New York-bred to win the Belmont Stakes in 138 years, Tiz the Law became the first horse bred in the Empire State to win the Travers since Thunder Rumble in 1992.

Tiz the Law will now point to the Grade 1, $3 million Kentucky Derby on September 5 at Churchill Downs, which Tagg won with Sackatoga's Funny Cide in 2003. Tiz the Law is atop the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 372 qualifying points.

Tiz the Law will see a quicker turnaround than what he's used to entering the “Run for the Roses” off four weeks' rest. Tagg said that the horse should have no problems with the timing.

“There's nothing I can do about it, but I don't think it will faze him at all,” Tagg said.

Unbeaten in four starts this year, Tiz the Law won the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park en route to a win in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes before taking the Runhappy Travers.

Following a career debut win at the Spa against New York-breds last August, exactly one year prior to his Runhappy Travers win, Tiz the Law won the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park. His only loss in a seven-race career came when finishing a close third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs over a sloppy track.

“He seems to terrorize the competition when he makes his move,” Tagg said. “Every race I've seen, even the first one, has been great. He came off that turn, and I thought 'They're going to run by him like he's standing still' and then I look again and he's three in front. It was the same way yesterday. I thought, 'Get into him, Manny' and he just kept running, running, running.”

Tagg credits much of the success with Tiz the Law to how hands-on and detail-oriented his team is with the horse, including barn foreman Juan Barajas Saldana and assistant trainer Robin Smullen.

“That's our job to make things go smoothly,” Tagg said. “We've been fortunate with him. We've been hands-on every step of the way. He doesn't go out of the stall without Juan, he doesn't go out to the track without Juan. Robin rides him and I lead him and warm him up and then I pick him up when he pulls up and we bring him back to Juan and Juan brings him back to the barn. It might be boring for the horse, but it's pretty safe.”

Tagg said that Tiz the Law will likely have two breezes prior to the Kentucky Derby.

“He'll gallop every day,” Tagg said. “He'll have about 10 days before we breeze him again. We'll probably only be able to get two breezes in him before we go out there. We'll go out there a week ahead of time.”

Tagg praised Sackatoga Stables founder and operations manager Jack Knowlton for being a patient owner and a great partner over the years.

“Jack is the greatest. If every owner could be like Jack, it would be a great life,” Tagg said.

The post Tagg: Tiz The Law ‘Did Everything A Good Horse Ought To Do’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Tiz the Law Breezes Towards, Max Player Aiming For Runhappy Travers

Tiz the Law (Constitution) continued his preparations for the $1-million GI Runhappy Travers S. Wednesday morning, working five furlongs in a solid 1:01.10 over a Belmont main track labeled as fast. It was the New York-bred’s second breeze since winning the GI Belmont S. June 20. He went a maintenance half-mile in :50.06 July 1.

“He looked perfect,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He’s got a lot of energy. He wouldn’t blow out a candle.”

Tiz the Law is perfect in three starts this season, having won the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 1 ahead of a smooth success in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 28. He defeated Dr Post (Quality Road) by 3 3/4 lengths in the first leg of this year’s reconstituted Triple Crown last month.

“It’s just a matter of keeping him happy and healthy for seven weeks between now and the Travers,” said Jack Knowlton, operations manager for owner Sackatoga Stable. “[Assistant trainer] Robin [Smullen] says nothing phases him. If you watch him around the stable, on the track, and during his races it all seems to be true. Fortunately, [jockey] Manny [Franco] has gotten to know what he has under him and has done a great job. Hopefully we can continue the roll that we’re on.”

Trainer Linda Rice confirmed that GIII Withers S. hero and Belmont third placegetter Max Player (Honor Code) is also being prepared for the 10-furlong ‘Midsummer Derby’ at Saratoga, having also considered other options over the coming weeks.

“We’re leaning towards running in the Travers,” Rice said. “We looked at some other options with the [Grade I] Haskell [at Monmouth] or the [Grade III] Peter Pan [July 16 at Saratoga], but we are going to point right to the Travers.”

The post Tiz the Law Breezes Towards, Max Player Aiming For Runhappy Travers appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Tagg Sets Sights On Travers: ‘It’s Very Important To Me’

Moments after Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law captured Saturday's 152nd running of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., trainer Barclay Tagg could be heard asking those in charge of the trophy presentation to hurry things up – he had to get back to his horses.

The veteran conditioner, who accompanies each set of morning workers to the track on his pony, takes a hands-on approach to horsemanship.

Tagg said that Tiz the Law has been easier to handle than most horses.

“He's so easy to deal with. If you ask him to go fast, he goes fast. If you ask him to go slow, he goes slow,” said Tagg.

Assistant trainer Robin Smullen also serves as the main exercise rider for Tiz the Law, and Tagg credits her with much of the Constitution colt's success.

“I'll say it – he's been handled perfectly, too. I've had Robin ride him and Robin can ride anything,” said Tagg. “She's a brilliant horsewoman and I can't say enough about her. She has the heart of a lion, the judgment of Solomon and the patience of Job.”

Tagg and Sackatoga Stable teamed up in 2003 to campaign Funny Cide, who won that year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness before running third in their Triple Crown bid in the Belmont.

While the connections are the same, and both horses are New York-breds, Tiz the Law and Funny Cide have many differences.

Tiz the Law posted a number of strong works leading into the Belmont Stakes, including a five-eighths effort in 1:00.53 on June 8 and an easy half-mile in 50.42 on June 14 over Big Sandy. The controlled final breeze for Tiz the Law was in sharp contrast to the bullet 57.82 Funny Cide clocked heading into the 2003 Belmont Stakes.

Smullen credits Tagg for understanding what each of the horses in his care needs, and putting them in a position to be successful.

“Barclay is so good at getting them to the right spot at the right time,” said Smullen. “We tightened the screws [on Tiz the Law], but in the last work we go in 50. And everybody asks, did you want to go that slow? Yeah. We did. That was on purpose. He's just so good at it.

“Our work two weeks out is usually our serious work and the last work before the race is the easiest work, if you have the horse that can do it,” she added. “With Funny Cide, you couldn't. His last work before the Belmont he went in 57, but this horse is easy to ride 90 percent of the time.”

Tagg mapped out all the details as Tiz the Law prepared for his first start in nearly three months following his score in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream Park. Smullen said he even planned out the celebration for jockey Manny Franco, who offered the slightest of fist pumps along with a cathartic yell as the New York-bred hero crossed the wire to give Tagg a personal Triple Crown.

“Barclay told him not to be jumping around on the horse. Sometimes they shift their weight [in the saddle] and it's bad,” said Smullen. “So Barclay said to Manny, if you're winning, don't do that. Just don't. That's the stuff that nobody thinks about, but he does. It might be the difference between making the next race or not making it.”

Tiz the Law's sophomore season kicked off with a win in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on February 1 and Tagg will be charged with keeping the colt in good order through a campaign he would like to see include Grade 1 stops in the $1 million Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga Race Course; the Kentucky Derby on September 5; the Preakness on October 3; and the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7.

Tagg said to keep Tiz the Law at the top level, he'll continue to listen to what his colt has to say.

“You have to pay attention to your horse. He tells you whether it's too much or too little,” said Tagg. “He tells you all that stuff if you pay attention to it. You have to show up every day. You have to see if he eats every day and if he eats every night.”

Tagg said he prefers to feed his horses later in the evening, and he's there each night to monitor that each food tub is emptied.

“I like to come back at night and if I can see his nose in the tub eating, I'm happy,” said Tagg. “If one of them has walked away and is eating hay in the corner when his feed is sitting there, that's a signal there's something wrong. Maybe it's nothing too bad, maybe the groom gave the horse two cups instead of one cup, but you need to find all this stuff out.

“A lot of guys have horses all over the place, but we don't. So, we have to make everything work,” he added.

The morning training, the perfect trip engineered by Franco, and even the celebration went according to plan.

And plans for Tiz the Law's next race – the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers – are already underway.

“He came out of the race great,” said Smullen. “He ate up and then he came out and grazed for an hour. His legs are good, his attitude and energy are good.”

For the next few days, Tagg said Tiz the Law will walk the shed row.

“He'll walk for three days and we'll graze him every afternoon like we do,” started Tagg. “The fourth day we'll take him out and jog him once around backwards to see how he moves and how he is and if he eats up that night we'll go to galloping. And ten days after that we'll give him an easy breeze, a half-mile.”

The wheels are already in motion as Tagg looks to add another trophy to his cabinet.

“I've never won the Travers and I want to win it,” said Tagg. “It's very important to me.”

The post Tagg Sets Sights On Travers: ‘It’s Very Important To Me’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post