Heather Smullen

OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training continued its steady course Thursday, with figures through two of the auction's three sessions in line with its 2023 statistics. During two sessions, 384 juveniles have sold for $14,402,900, with the average of $37,508 ticking up 3.1% from a year ago and the median remaining steady at $20,000. With 125 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 24.6%. Through two sessions a year ago, 410 juveniles had grossed $14,922,600 for an average of $36,397. The...

7th-Gulfstream, $43,000, (S), Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($20,000), 5-30, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.53, fm, 1 length. QUESTER (c, 3, Into Mischief--Osare {SW, $234,605}, by Medaglia d'Oro), third in his debut going 5 1/2 panels for Todd Pletcher on the main track here in March, came back to score extending to 8 1/2 furlongs Apr. 19. Given a 4-1 chance to make it two straight switching to the care of Heather Smullen, he stalked the early pace, took over in the stretch and inched clear late to score by a length over Dear...

Sackatoga Stables' GI Belmont S. winner and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Tiz the Law (Constitution) capped off his serious work ahead of next Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a five-furlong breeze at Keeneland Saturday morning. With his regular work rider Heather Smullen in the irons, the New York-bred drilled five furlongs in :59.20 and galloped out an extra eighth of a mile in 1:12.20 (video). "I saw just what I wanted. He went perfectly," said trainer Barclay Tagg who will send out his 11th Breeders' Cup starter next weekend....

MGISW Tiz the Law (Constitution) continued his preparations for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a six-furlong breeze in 1:13.20 over a fast track at Keeneland Friday. With regular rider Heather Smullen aboard, the NY-bred colt worked in fractions of :26, :49.60, 1:13.20 and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.80. "I wanted to get him used to the track, and I think he gets over any track better than Churchill," trainer Barclay Tagg said in reference to Churchill Downs, where Tiz the Law suffered the only two losses of his...

MGISW Tiz the Law (Constitution) breezed six furlongs in 1:12.26 (1/1) over the Belmont main track Friday morning in preparation for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7. The Empire-bred will be vanned to Kentucky Sunday to continue his preparations for the World Championships. Under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law went in company with stablemate Niko's Dream (Central Banker) (five furlongs in 1:01.05) before drawing away at the top of the lane. He recorded splits of :13.07, :24.84, :36.43, and :47.63 before galloping out seven furlongs...

Likely GI Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law (Constitution) topped a list of sophomores putting in their final breezes ahead of the Run for the Roses/Lilies Saturday, covering five panels in :59.21 (1/3) on the Saratoga main track. The native New Yorker was one of the first on the track at 5:45 a.m. in an attempt to beat the incoming rainstorm. With regular breeze rider Heather Smullen in the irons, the flashy bay covered his first three furlongs in :36.01 and galloped out in 1:12.01. "Everything went fine. He came...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - Every morning when Tiz the Law (Constitution) goes out to the track for his exercise, there is a Smullen from Oxford, PA on his back. Most days the likely favorite for the GI Kentucky Derby is carrying Robin Smullen, trainer Barclay Tagg's longtime assistant and life partner. Once a week, when the colt has his timed workout, though, Heather Smullen, Robin's 38-year-old niece, has the assignment. It is a challenge, she acknowledges, to keep the four-time Grade I winner to the task while not getting in...