The Travers Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) hero Tiz the Law drew post 2 and was made the 3/1 second choice as he seeks to avenge his lone 2020 defeat in Saturday’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Longines Classic (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday, November 7.
Tiz the Law enjoyed a dream season throughout much of 2020, compiling impressive wins in 4 graded stakes (including the Belmont and the Travers) before heading into the Kentucky Derby (G1) as one of the shortest-priced favorites of the modern era. Winning the Run for the Roses was not to be, however, as he suffered his second career defeat over the same dirt course that gave him his first (the 2019 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes [G2], where he finished third). The Kentucky Derby was the only time that he has ever raced on less than 30 days’ rest, so with that September 5 loss well in the past, trainer Barclay Tagg should have this New York-bred Constitution colt fresh and ready to fire.
Horse of the Year honors will be on the line in the Classic; as many as 6 of the 10 total entries would have a legitimate claim to that title with a victory in this race. Chief among them is the lightly-raced but supremely-talented Tom’s d’Etat, who drew post 4 and was given 6/1 odds. The 7-year-old intact son of Smart Strike won a pair of stakes earlier this year, including the Stephen Foster (G2) to earn his place in this starting gate, but stumbled badly at the start of the Whitney Stakes (G1) last time out and could only finish third. Trainer Al Stall Jr. knows a little bit about pulling off a mild upset in the Classic: he saddled Blame to win this in 2010 and hand the superstar mare Zenyatta her only defeat in 20 starts.
In almost any other year, By My Standards would be a much shorter price than the 10/1 odds he received after being assigned post 3. The Bret Calhoun trainee has 4 wins and 2 seconds in 6 starts this year and has earned 4 straight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures heading into this event, though both defeats came against rivals whom he has to face again here.
Trainer Dallas Stewart has a penchant for his horses outrunning their odds in major races and has twice won the Longines Distaff (G1). While #5 Title Ready (30/1) has a tall task ahead, the 5-year-old Charles Fipke homebred seems to like Keeneland: he won a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming event here in July and finished third (beaten 1 length) in the local 1 1/8-mile Fayette Stakes (G2) last time out.
Higher Power, third in last year’s Classic, is back for another try. The John Sadler trainee won the 2019 Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) but failed to return victorious in 6 subsequent tries, including the most recent edition of that race where he finished fourth. His recent form is a key reason he was made a 20/1 longshot after drawing post 6.
Call him Rodney Dangerfield because Global Campaign got no respect after drawing post 7; the Stanley Hough trainee’s 20/1 morning line odds bely his 2-race win streak that includes capturing the 1 1/4-mile Woodward Handicap (G1) last time out. A late-blooming 4-year-old son of Curlin named Vino Rosso pulled off an upset in last year’s Classic, so do not be shocked at all if the similarly-developing Global Campaign also exceeds expectations.
Rounding out the field are the Bob Baffert-trained trio of #8 Improbable, the 5/2 favorite who is riding a 3-race win streak, all at the Grade 1 level; #9 Authentic (6/1), the Kentucky Derby champion who missed to Swiss Skydiver by a neck in the Preakness Stakes (G1) last time out; and #10 Maximum Security (7/2), who has crossed the wire first in 11 of his 13 starts but legitimately lost his most recent try.
