Tiz the Law


Tiz the Law is an American Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the 2020 Belmont Stakes. He is the first New York-bred horse to win the Belmont since Forester in 1882.

Background

Tiz the Law is a bay horse with a broad white blaze, bred in New York state by Twin Creeks Farm. As a yearling in 2018 he was consigned to the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and was bought for $110,000 by Jack Knowlton. He races in the colors of Knowlton's Sackatoga Stable. The colt was sent into training with Barclay Tagg, who had previously handled Sackatoga's 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide.
Tiz the Law is from the first crop of foals by Constitution, a Kentucky-bred stallion whose wins included the Florida Derby and the Donn Handicap. Tiz the Law's dam Tizfiz was a successful racemare who included the Grade II San Gorgonio Handicap among her seven track victories. Her grand-dam Crafty And Evil was a half-sister to Favorite Trick.

Career

2019: two-year-old season

Tiz the Law's first race was on August 8, 2019, at Saratoga, where he finished first. In his second race, he scored an upset win at the 2019 Champagne Stakes. He finished out his 2019 season with a third-place finish at the 2019 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Due to his win at the 2019 Champagne Stakes, Tiz the Law was the early favorite for the 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby. Although the win gave the colt a free entry into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile four weeks later, Tagg opted to miss the race commenting "It's a little close, and I think it will be pushing him".

2020: three-year-old season

Tiz the Law began his 2020 season with a win in the Grade III Holy Bull Stakes. On March 28, he won the 2020 Florida Derby and became the favorite for the Kentucky Derby at that time. However, the 2020 Kentucky Derby and the 2020 Preakness Stakes were subsequently rescheduled, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the 2020 Belmont Stakes, scheduled for June 20, the first race of the Triple Crown classics. At the Belmont, Tiz the Law was the morning line favorite, at 6-to-5. With Manny Franco aboard, Tiz the Law won the Belmont—run at a reduced distance of —in a time of 1:46.53.

Pedigree