Belmont Stakes Results
The circumstances were different than usual, but the outcome was hardly a surprise. Tiz the Law was favored at 4-5 to prevail in the 2020 Belmont Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, and the talented bay colt delivered with a resounding victory.
As part of a unique Triple Crown restructured due to COVID-19, the Belmont Stakes was postponed two weeks from June 6 to June 20, which nevertheless transitioned the race from the last leg of the series to the first. As a result of the unusual circumstances, the Belmont was also shortened from 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/8 miles, a less formidable distance for the historic “Test of the Champion.”
These changes made little difference to Tiz the Law, who was such a dominant winner he might have prevailed over any distance or date. With Manny Franco in the saddle for trainer Barclay Tagg, the Sackatoga Stable runner settled into third place early on, racing wide and in the clear as Tap It to Win carved out fractions of :23.11, :46.16, and 1:09.94 over a fast track.
With 3 furlongs remaining, Tiz the Law began to edge closer, and by the time he arrived at the top of the stretch he was thoroughly in command. Sprinting clear with an eye-catching burst of speed, Tiz the Law never gave his pursuers a chance to catch up and ultimately won by 3 3/4 lengths over the late-charging Dr Post. The final time was a snappy 1:46.53.
“I was pretty confident by the time we hit the seven-eighths pole. He was so kind and relaxed for me,” said Franco. “He was so comfortable and never got keen, so I think that was the key.”
For Tiz the Law, the Belmont Stakes triumph awarded $535,000 plus a spot in racing history. Bred in New York by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law became the first New York-bred to win the Belmont Stakes since 1882. For Tagg and Sackatoga Sable, the victory completed a personal sweep of the Triple Crown; they had previously teamed up to win the 2003 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) with fan favorite Funny Cide.
“It's tremendous,” said Jack Knowlton of Sackatoga. “We've been with Barclay Tagg for 25 years and I keep telling everybody, Barclay doesn't get a lot of big horses, big opportunities, but when he does he knows what to do. He's got his and Sackatoga's got theirs. Triple Crown, two different horses, two different years, and not a lot of people can say that.”
Tiz the Law paid $3.60 to win.
2020 Belmont Stakes order of finish
- Tiz the Law
- Dr Post
- Max Player
- Pneumatic
- Tap It to Win
- Sole Volante
- Modernist
- Farmington Road
- Fore Left
- Jungle Runner