Watch: Tiz the Law works at Keeneland ahead of Breeders' Cup Classic

Sackatoga Stable’s four-time Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law worked six furlongs in 1:13.20 over a fast track Friday morning at Keeneland.

With Heather Smullen aboard, Tiz the Law came on the track at 6 a.m. EDT, accompanied as usual by trainer Barclay Tagg, who was alongside on his pony.

Tiz the Law, expected to be one of the favorites for the Breeders’ Cup Classic here Nov. 7, produced fractions of :26, :49.60, 1:13.20 and galloped out 7 furlongs in 1:25.80.

Tiz the Law arrived at Keeneland on Sunday. Today’s work was the first of two for the colt that Tagg has scheduled before the Breeders’ Cup.

“I wanted to get him used to the track, and I think he gets over any track better than Churchill,” Tagg said in reference to Churchill Downs, where Tiz the Law has the only two losses in his eight-race career. “If he shows improvement next week, even better.”

Smullen, who is Tiz the Law’s regular work rider, liked this morning’s workout.

“The first time he works at a track, he looks around,” Smullen said. “Today he went out and did his job and galloped out nicely. His next work he’ll be more aggressive and that should set him up nicely for the race.”

Diodoro duo works toward Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

Later Friday morning at Keeneland, Southern Equine Stables’ Keepmeinmind, runner-up in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), and stablemate Dreamer’s Disease, an easy allowance winner here Oct. 3, drilled five furlongs in company in preparation for possible starts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6.

With trainer Robertino Diodoro watching trackside, Keepmeinmind with David Cohen aboard broke off three lengths behind Dreamer’s Disease and Adam Beschizza. At the wire, the difference was a length with Keepmeinmind credited with a :58.20 clocking and Dreamer’s Disease in :58.60. The duo galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.40.

Diodoro believes Keepmeinmind deserves a shot at the Breeders’ Cup even though the son of Laoban is a maiden after two starts. His resume going into the Breeders’ Cup is similar to Good Magic, who won the 2017 Juvenile and earned the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male.

“In the Breeders’ Futurity, he got in some traffic on the turn but then David tipped him to the outside and he came on again,” Diodoro said about Keepmeinmind. “I may have different thoughts if he had had the perfect trip, but there are two factors here: one, the trouble he had in the last race, and two, the way he has been training.”

Friday’s work came on the heels of a :49.20 half-mile Oct. 17. Keepmeinmind is scheduled to have his final pre-Breeders’ Cup work Oct. 30.

Diodoro said if Dreamer’s Disease, another Southern Equine homebred by Laoban, does not get in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile field, he would pass on running the colt in the $100,000 Nyquist at 6½ furlongs here on the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup undercard and likely wait for a race at Churchill Downs that month.

Galloping Out

Mike Maker and Steve Asmussen each saddled one winner Thursday afternoon to further tighten the race for leading trainer at the 17-day Fall Meet, which concludes Saturday.

Maker and Brad Cox are tied with 11 wins apiece and Asmussen has 10 victories. Asmussen has entrants in four races Friday, while Cox is in three races and Maker is in two races.

On Saturday, Cox has four entrants, Maker three and Asmussen two.