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By Amy Tennery
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NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Belmont Stakes\\\’s 6-5 favourite Tiz the Law will break from the eighth post on Saturday, at the start of American horse racing\\\’s prized Triple Crown.
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Traditionally the third leg of the thoroughbred racing series, the Belmont will be the first Triple Crown race after the COVID-19 outbreak forced the postponement of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes to Sept. 5 and Oct. 3, respectively.
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The race will be held without fans, in accordance with health and safety regulations, and with the distance shortened from 1-1/2 miles to 1-1/8.
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Tiz the Law, a New York-bred colt, won his debut race by more than four lengths at Saratoga in August and won the Curlin Florida Derby in March.
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“It could have been worse. I was hoping to get five to seven, something like that, we\\xe2\\x80\\x99ll take eight,” trainer Barclay Tagg told reporters.
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Tagg previously trained Funny Cide, who won the Derby and Preakness but was denied the Triple Crown at Belmont in 2003.
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“He does everything the way we ask him too, he seems to be very happy and content,” said Tagg.
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Dr Post, a Todd Pletcher-trained horse widely considered the biggest challenge to Tiz the Law, will be in the ninth post position, while Tap It To Win is also expected to contend at 6-1 and will take first post position.
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Max Player, one of the less experienced colts at 15-1 with just three career starts, won the Withers Stakes in February, and will break from the third position.
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“I think Barclay and I were going to fight over number 5, 6 and 7,” said trainer Linda Rice. “He got the outside, I got the inside, but my horse is a closer, so I think that will work.”
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(Reporting by Amy Tennery, editing by Ed Osmond)
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