The question about what the next race would be never had a chance to be finished.
"You know what's next," Jack Knowlton, the operating manager of Sackatoga Stable, said about the immediate future for Tiz the Law, horse racing's newest super star.
It comes as no surprise that Tiz the Law's schedule now has the $1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga at the top of the list. The Midsummer Derby, which will be run Aug. 8 to accommodate the rescheduled Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5, has always been part of the blueprint for Tiz the Law. The colt stamped himself as the best 3-year-old in training Saturday when he won the Belmont Stakes by 3¾ lengths.
Tiz the Law has won all three of his starts this year and is five-for-six for his career. Three of his wins have been Grade Is, two of them being the Belmont — the first leg of the Triple Crown this year which was run at 11/8 miles rather than 1½ miles — and Florida Derby this season.
Knowlton, who lives in Saratoga Springs, wants nothing more than to showcase his New York-bred at his home track. He almost made it to the Travers once, but 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, another New York-bred, got sick and missed his Saratoga opportunity 17 years ago.
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"I'm just praying Tiz stays healthy and stays sound and gets a chance to come to Saratoga and gets the same result as the Belmont," Knowlton said.
The 40-day Saratoga meet begins Thursday, July 16.
The Travers has traditionally been run late in August. This year, it would have been on Aug. 29, but the New York Racing Association moved it because the Kentucky Derby was rescheduled from May 2 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Knowlton also hopes his horse stays together so he can compete for a Triple Crown. The final leg of the series this year is the Preakness on Oct. 3 in Baltimore.
Tiz the Law, a son of Constitution, was purchased by Sackatoga for $110,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale in 2018.
"Winning a Triple Crown race is incredible, particularly given who we are and what we do and how we do it," Knowlton said. "It just shows you don't have to spend huge amounts of money to be part of the highest level of thoroughbred racing."
Knowlton and about half of his other 34 partners watched the Belmont together at a watch party at Pennell's Restaurant in Saratoga. Houston's Roger Sofer, one of the ownership group, watched from Houston. Owners were not allowed to attend the Belmont because of the coronavirus. He is hopeful that restrictions are lifted by the time Saratoga starts. Spectators are not currently allowed to attend the races at Belmont Park.
Those same restrictions are in place for Saratoga.
"We are hoping that at least owners will be able to be at Saratoga," Knowlton said. "I would love to be able to see fans there, too."
Whatever happens, Knowlton knows he will have the show stopper for the Saratoga meet. The Funny Cide story was unique because the horse was born in Saratoga, at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds. During that summer, you could buy Funny Cide ice cream and Funny Cide Lite beer. Funny Cide was seemingly everywhere.
There is no word on whether there will be some Tiz the Law brews in the Spa City, but his popularity is growing.
"I don't know if this story is as good (as Funny Cide's), but it's pretty damn good," Knowlton said. "As good as Funny Cide was, I think an argument could be made that this horse is better. To totally prove it, he has to win at a mile and a quarter (Travers distance as well as the Kentucky Derby). I don't think another eighth of a mile is going to be an issue."
Tiz the Law came out of his Belmont victory in good shape. Trainer Barclay Tagg said Sunday the horse will walk the shed row at his barn at Belmont for the next three days.
"The fourth day we'll take him out and jog him once around backwards to see how he moves and how he is," Tagg said. "If he eats up that night, we'll go galloping. Ten days after that, we'll give him an easy breeze, a half-mile."
Tagg has never won the Travers and has only entered it once. That came in 2007 when he was seventh with Tale of Ekati.
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Travers up next for Tiz the Law - Houston Chronicle
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