Training continues to progress like clockwork for Tiz the Law, and trainer Barclay Tagg could not be happier about it – or feeling more fortunate.

Sackatoga Stable's heavy favorite for Saturday’s $1 million Belmont Stakes exited his final work in fine shape and is on target for the 1 1/8-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown.

"He came out of the workout good," Tagg said June 15 at his Belmont Park barn. "His legs look good. His attitude is good. He's eating great. We've been very lucky with him."

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Tiz the Law, a 3-year-old New York State-bred son of Constitution, put in an easy :50.42 four-furlong breeze at Belmont Park June 14 in his final major drill for his first race since March 28, when he captured the Curlin Florida Derby by 4 ¼  lengths for his fourth win in five career starts.

One of those four wins came at Belmont Park last year when he prevailed in the one-mile Champagne Stakes.

Tagg said Tiz the Law only walked Monday and will gallop the rest of the week.

It was also a quiet Monday morning of walking or galloping at the Elmont, N.Y., oval for the other Belmont Stakes candidates on hand, with each of them having already put in their final major work.

A field of ten has taken shape for the opener in an unorthodox Triple Crown season in which the 152^nd Belmont Stakes has shifted from the third jewel to the first due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Post, Farmington Road, Sole Volante, Max Player, Tap It to Win, Pneumatic, Fore Left, Modernist and Jungle Runner are the other likely starters.

Trainer Bill Mott said Modernist was doing well after a bullet :59 1/5 five-furlong work Sunday at Belmont Park. On Tuesday, the Hall of Fame trainer conferred with owners Pam and Martin Wygod about the options for Modernist and decided to enter the Grade 2 winner in the Belmont Stakes.

"He worked really well yesterday," Mott said Monday. "He came back and was good this morning."

Dr Post (Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo)

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who will be seeking a fourth Belmont Stakes victory with the duo of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Chrysalis Stables, and Robert LaPenta's Farmington Road and St. Elias Stable's Dr Post, sent both 3-year-olds out for a 1 ½ mile gallop Monday.

"Both of them are coming into it suggesting they are sitting on their best effort," he said about the Belmont Stakes, "so we'll see how it turns out."

While Tiz the Law will be making his first start in 12 weeks and seven of the other candidates have not raced since May 2 or beyond, recency will be on the side of Sole Volante and Tap It to Win.

Sole Volante won a June 10 allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park, while Live Oak Plantation's Tap It to Win is coming off a front-running win for trainer Mark Casse in a June 4 allowance race at Belmont.

Running the same chute he'll travel in the 1 1/8-mile Belmont Stakes, Tap It to Win won by five lengths while covering the 1 1/16-mile distance in a fleet 1:39.76 to improve his record to three wins in six starts.

The track record for that distance stands at 1:39.22.

"He seems to be training incredibly well this week. We've been checking his energy levels and we have him back up in full training because nothing seems to be bothering him," assistant trainer Jamie Begg said. "He has loads of energy. It looks like we've finally gotten to the bottom of him. He's doing well going into the race."