Tiz The Law much the best in Travers
It isn’t often a race lives up to expectation but that’s exactly what this year’s G1 Travers did when Tiz The Law (USA) (Constitution {USA}) became the first horse to win the G1 Champagne, G1 Florida Derby, G1 Belmont S., and G1 Travers on Saturday at Saratoga.
Making his first start since winning this year’s G1 Belmont S. in June, Tiz The Law did exactly what was expected of him. He broke well and sat just behind the leading Uncle Chuck (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) while running a few paths off the rail in the early stages of the 2400 metre dirt race.
With regular jockey Manny Franco sitting like a statue, Tiz The Law galloped up to Uncle Chuck with 600 metres left to run and 200 metres later the race was all over. Franco gave the 3-year-old colt a few taps at the top of the stretch but once he noticed the field receding in the background, he put his stick away and let Tiz The Law romp home.
Tiz The Law was an easy 5.5l victor over Caracaro (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) to give Barclay Tagg and Sackatoga Stables the G1 Travers victory they’d planned on for months.
The race for the minor placings were a bit tighter but not much, with Caracaro 2l ahead of third placed Max Player (USA) (Honor Code {USA}) who was 2l ahead of the fourth place finisher.
Taking out his license in 2013, Franco has won 123 stakes in his career but says his rides on Tiz The Law have made him a better jockey this year.
"It means a lot because it's made me a better jockey with this opportunity,” he said. “I'm grateful for that. I didn't expect a race like that, but we'll take it. He ran huge. He was there the whole way for me and I was just waiting for the moment because it is a long way to go - a mile and a quarter - and he hasn't gone that distance before, so I'm trying to save as much horse as I could before I made my move. I had a lot in the tank and I was just trying to save horse, because there's still three or four more races to go, so I have to save some horse. He became part of my family, this horse. He's unbelievable and I've never been on a horse in my career like this one. I'm enjoying the moment.”
With the victory Tiz The Law is the certain favourite for the G1 Kentucky Derby on September 5 as he looks to win the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Tiz The Law comes 17 years after Barclay Tagg and Sackatoga Stables won the Kentucky Derby and G1 Preakness S. with Funny Cide (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}) before losing the Belmont and having to scratch from the Travers. For Sackatoga Stables' Jack Knowlton, the colt’s victory feels like a redemption of sorts after Funny Cide.
“It's fabulous. We're getting redemption 17 years later,” he said. “Tiz won the Belmont, now he's won the Travers. It's quite an accomplishment for our little stable of New York-bred, for Barclay Tagg training our New York-bred to win the biggest races in New York. We're just thrilled to death. We're the third New York-bred to win this race, the first New York-bred in 138 years to win the Belmont S. It says to me that this accomplishment is something that is pretty spectacular. Barclay, [assistant trainer] Robin [Smullen] and the whole team, they made it all happen.”
Out of Grade 2 winner Tizfiz (USA) (Tiznow {USA}), the colt is a half-brother to Listed placed Awestruck (USA) (Tapit {USA}) with his dam a half-sister to two stakes winners. A US$110,000 (AU$153,674) Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling Sale graduate, Tiz The Law also hails from the family of Horse of the Year Favorite Trick (USA) (Phone Trick {USA}).
Tiz The Law’s future after his racing career is already secured with Coolmore buying his breeding rights after the Belmont S. though Knowlton said at the time that plans call for the colt to race at four.
Gamine continues roll in Group 1 test
An impressive 18.75l winner of the G1 Acorn S. last out, the US$1.8 million (AU$2,514,668) Gamine (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) struck again with an easy 7l victory in Saturday’s G1 Longines Test S. at Saratoga.
Cutting back to 1400 metres, Gamine took the lead as expected with Venetian Harbor (USA) (Munnings {USA}) going with her as they opened up multiple lengths on the rest of the field. Mrs. Danvers (USA) (Tapit {USA}) tried to take the pair on down the backstretch but they again left her behind around the turn to continue their own personal race.
That race too was over once they turned into the stretch with Gamine shrugging off Venetian Harbor and romping home under a hand ride. Venetian Harbor was much the best of the rest with that filly 6.5l ahead of third placed Up In Smoke (USA) (The Big Beast {USA}).
"I just let her do whatever she wants to do,” said jockey John Velazquez. “The last time I was a little too much in her mouth and she was kind of leaning out a little bit so today I just left the reins loose and let her be where she wanted to be and she was pleased where she was. Then on the turn, I took a hold of her and she went right back in so I didn't worry about it. It feels as good as the last time, I'll tell you that. Whatever the time was or how much she won by, it doesn't matter. She's still as good, and that's what counts."
Sold for US$220,000 (AU$307,348) as a yearling at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the Bob Baffert trainee was pinhooked for US$1.8 million (AU$2,514,668) at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Spring 2-Year-Old Sale when purchased by racing owner Michael Lund Petersen.
One of two winners from three runners out of Listed-winning Peggy Jane (USA) (Kafwain {USA}), the two-time Grade 1-winning filly is also from the family of Canadian Champion Dynamic Sky (Can) (Sky Mesa {USA}).
Serengeti Empress impresses in Ballerina
Last year’s G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (USA) (Alternation {USA}) won her second career Grade 1 win in the G1 Ballerina at Saratoga on Saturday.
A confirmed front runner, Serengeti Empress broke a step slow in the 1400 metre race but she flashed her early speed to quickly overcome the deficit and take the lead. Letruska (USA) (Super Saver {USA}) pushed her from there with a few lengths on the rest of the field as they sizzled through a half mile in 43.74s.
Letruska started to back off as they hit the top of the stretch with it looking like the rest of the field may also run past Serengeti Empress but she refused to let that happen. The 4-year-old was tiring but when she saw Bellafina (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) coming at her, she found another gear to win by 1l in a time of 1:21.63.
Bellafina had 1.5l on the third placed Victim Of Love (USA) (Speightstown {USA}), who was 0.5l in front of last year’s winner Come Dancing (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}).
"That was very valiant,” said trainer Tom Amoss. “She didn't break on time. She was a step slow, but when you go seven-eighths and you have that opening on the track before you hit the main track, you get an opportunity to catch up, and she did. She was able to regain her position, but I really thought that opening half-mile in [43.74s] was going to be her doing in. I thought we learned a lot about her today. What we learned is that this is a real good middle-distance filly. The other disappointment was that [owner] Joel Politi and his family couldn't be here. I know they're home watching and celebrating but I know they would have loved to have been here."
One of two foals out of Bernardini (USA) mare Havisham (USA), the filly was securing her sixth stakes victory in the race.
A US$25,000 (AU$34,925) weanling purchase and US$70,000 (AU$97,792) yearling purchase, Serengeti Empress is a granddaughter of Group 3 winner Love Dancing (Arg) (Salt Lake {USA}) and the first Grade 1 winner in her family for five generations.
Bodhicitta wins G2 Yellow Ribbon
Concluding a full day of stakes action in the United States, Bodhicitta (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) earned her first stakes victory in the G2 Yellow Ribbon S. at Del Mar Saturday night.
Racing at about third in the 1700 metre race, Bodhicitta was content to let Harmless (USA) (Creative Cause {USA}) set the pace as she raced on the rail. In the far turn, it looked like Bodhicitta was going backward but she used it to her advantage to flip to the outside for her stretch run.
It took the whole stretch for Bodhicitta to get to the front but she timed her run perfectly with Flavien Prat aboard to just get her nose in front of Tonahutu (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) with pacesetting Harmless settling for third ahead of Lady Prancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}).
The 42nd stakes winners and 21st Group stakes winner for former New Zealand stallion Showcasing (GB), Bodhicitta is one of two winners for her Teofilo (Ire) dam Sofilia (GB). Coming from an active family, her win comes two weeks after relative Fox Chairman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) finished second in the G2 York S. in England with dual Grade 1 winner La Collina (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}) also in the family.
Spending the first part of her career in Europe, the £55,000 (AU$100,222) yearling purchase was then sold for £100,000 (AU$182,222) at the 2018 Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale. She went through the ring again last year when bringing 60,000 gns (AU$119,700) at the Tattersalls Guineas Horses In Training Sale from Meah Lloydd Bloodstock for her current racing owner, Calvin Nguyen.
Star Of Emaraaty provides Pride Of Dubai first European stakes win
Only a week after being crowned Champion Freshman Sire in Australia, Pride Of Dubai registered his first Northern Hemisphere stakes winner with Star Of Emaraaty (Ire) in the G3 Betway Sweet Solera S.
Racing over 1400 metres, the filly raced keenly in fourth under Kevin Stott as Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) set the pace. Dropping back midrace, Star Of Emaraaty had plenty of ground to make up with 400 metres left to run when Stott pulled her to the centre of the track. From there, the filly found another gear to make up several lengths and spring the upset by 1.25l over Dubai Fountain as a 66-1 shot with Seattle Rock (GB) (Fastnet Rock) in third.
Registering her third top two finish in five starts, Star Of Emaraaty is also one of two winners from her sire’s first eight Northern Hemisphere foaled runners.
Sold for just €3500 (AU$5764) at the Goffs Ireland Sportsman Yearling Sale, Star Of Emaraaty is out of a half-sister to the late Rip Van Winkle (Ire) and Group 3 winner Le Vie Infinite (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}) in addition to the dam of Listed winner and Group 1-placed Fleet Review (USA) (War Front {USA}).
The filly’s extended family also includes this year’s G1 British 2000 Guineas winner Kameko (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) and Sir Prancealot’s (Ire) Group 2 winner Madam Dancealot (Ire) among others.
