By Dick Jerardi
Jamie Ness is not one for pronouncements, so when the six times straight Parx champion trainer declared after the 2-year-old filly Law School won the Future Start Filly division on Dec. 30 at Parx that she was the best horse in his barn, it was impossible not to pay attention.
Law School won that day by 7 lengths and, even more impressively, ran the 7 furlongs in 1:26.63, .57 seconds faster than Mailata, the best 2-year-old male on the grounds, had gone when he won the other division by 19 lengths.
Fast forward to last Saturday at Laurel Park. Law School was the 8-5 second choice to 3-5 Peach Tie in the $100,000 Wide Country Stakes.
Peach Tie was 4-for-4 on dirt, winning twice at Laurel, once at Colonial Downs and once at Keeneland. Law School, by contrast, after a 12 1/4-length win in her debut, had been decent but not great in her next three dirt starts before blowing up with a 14 1/4-length win around two turns at Laurel. Then came the stakes win at Parx which produced an 80 Beyer figure easily the best in the 4-horse Wide Country field.
The race did not go as hoped. Law School was up with the pace, then dropped back to last before making a sustained run around the turn to reach contention. But, by that time, Peach Tie had broken the race wide open and while Law School never stopped trying, she had to settle for second, beaten by 3 lengths while well clear of third.
“I thought she ran okay,” Ness said, “Been off a couple of months. Maybe, I didn’t have her quite tight enough. I’d like to get another shot at that filly, I think (rider Yedsit Hazlewood) should have been a little more aggressive. He was up there and then he backed out to last and then he came on again.
“With a good filly like the one that beat us, it’s too hard to do that and be successful. We got beat fair and square, but I think we are going to do better the next time.”
Ness is not just thinking about next time (maybe at Laurel going a mile), he is thinking down the road. He believes Law School has graded stakes potential. When races like the Delaware Oaks and Cotillion were mentioned, Ness did not shy away.
“She’s got that potential,” he said. “The Cotillion would be great. That’s a home track for me. If she was good enough to make the Cotillion and be competitive, that would be the cat’s meow for me.”
Law School just turned 3 and, if she can come back to that 80 Beyer and improve on it, she really is not that far from what it takes to be competitive in graded stakes for 3–year-old fillies these days.
The recent weather issues and track closures did not help her preparation for last Saturday.
“She missed a ton of time,” Ness said.
The trainer still has the same amount of confidence in her that he had back on Dec. 30.
“I still do,” Ness said. “A 3-year-old filly who wants to go long and stakes quality, they’re rare. There are not a lot out there so I think, like I said, she’s the best horse I got in my barn just for the fact that she’s a 3-year-old filly, she can go long, she’s stakes caliber. They’re hard to find.’’
Law School cost just $5,000 at an October 2024 yearling sale. She is by sprint champion Mitole. Ness is not bothered by any of that. He is just going by what he sees and is convinced of her talent and ability to go long.
“She has speed and can run all day, absolutely better going long,” Ness said. “Live at the race (Saturday) she galloped out past everybody which is encouraging.”
Peach Tie got a 71 Beyer in her win. Law School got a 65 Beyer in the Wide Country. In her three wins, she got Beyers of 68, 69 and 80 so there is little question of her talent. How talented and her ceiling will be determined in the weeks and races ahead.
