Lucky Sevens For Pletcher

By Mike Kane

Seven weeks out from the GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher has seven prospects on course for America’s biggest race. That’s a big group but not out of the ordinary for–look, here is that number again–the seven-time Eclipse Award winner. 

This is a non-racing weekend for members of the Pletcher septet, who are headed for final preps in late March and early April. Pletcher said Friday that GII Tampa Bay Derby winner Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway) is bound for the GI Blue Grass S. Apr. 4 at Keeneland; GII Fountain of Youth winner via DQ Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid) will be pointed toward the GI Florida Derby Mar. 28 at Gulfstream Park; Far from Over (Blame) will return to the site of his 
GII Withers S. win at Aqueduct for the GI TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial S. Apr. 4, and John Battaglia Memorial S. winner Royal Son (Tiznow) is being considered for other races, but is likely to be sent back to Turfway Park for the GIII Spiral S. Mar. 21. 

Still to be determined, Pletcher said, is where GII Swale runner-up Daredevil (More Than Ready), Islamorada winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and Stanford (Malibu Moon), DQ’d from second to sixth in the Islamorada, will run next. In all likelihood, one or more of them will face other Pletcher stablemates. 

An eighth Derby candidate, unbeaten Khozan (Distorted Humor), underwent successful sesamoid surgery on his right rear Monday and is expected to return to training this summer. 

Carpe Diem, Daredevil, Materiality and Stanford all competed last weekend. Far From Over, Itsaknockout and Royal Son are scheduled to breeze at Palm Beach Downs Saturday morning. 

Pletcher is well-versed in preparing a squadron of runners for the Derby. He has had Derby starters in 14 of the last 15 years and in 12 of those races has saddled multiple runners. He had a record-tying five starters in 2007 and 2013, and four in 2000, 2010 and 2014. 

Alphabetically, ‘TDN Rising Star’ Carpe Diem is at the top of Pletcher’s list of candidates. He may be there on talent, too. Co-owned by WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stables, Carpe Diem was an impressive five-length winner in the Tampa Bay Derby, which was his 2015 debut. 

“He came out of it very well,” Pletcher said. “It seems like he’s in good shape out of the race. The plan all along was the Blue Grass as the first choice for the final prep. It still is and that’s where we’re headed.” 

The Tampa Bay Derby was Carpe Diem’s first start since finishing second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November. Prior to that effort, the hulking bay posted an impressive victory in Keeneland’s GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity Oct. 4. 

“We were certainly very optimistic that he had made that transition from two to three that you’re hoping for and he breezed very well,” Pletcher said. “You’re always worried when you’re running a horse of his caliber, and he hasn’t run in a while and you’re going to a track that you’ve never run on, especially a surface like Tampa’s that can be a little quirky at times. We had concerns like all trainers do about everything, but we were confident that he was coming up to it well and we were ecstatic with the way he ran.” 

Fellow ‘TDN Rising Star’ Materiality won his racing debut in January and took the Islamorada by 5 3/4 lengths to push his way into the Derby prep picture. 

“We were very impressed with the way he handled the step out to a mile and an eighth,” Pletcher said. “So far, he seems to have come out of it very well and we’re trying to decide between the Florida Derby, the Wood Memorial or possibly the [GI] Arkansas Derby [Apr. 11], if we felt that we needed more time. It’s a case of just trying to assess how he’s doing and if 22 days is going to be enough time between races to turn around for the Florida Derby. It will be one of those three races and if we’re leaning in any direction right now it would be ever so slightly to the Florida Derby. 

Pletcher said that he and his staff are still trying to decide what is next for Royal Son. 

“He’s in a little bit of the same boat as Materiality with a quick turnaround,” Pletcher said. “But he ran so well at Turfway in the Battaglia that that’s our first choice, if we feel like he breezes accordingly tomorrow and that 21 days is enough time.” 

Daredevil, winner of last term’s GI Champagne S., was beaten 2 3/4 lengths in the Swale, his first outing of 2015, following an 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. 

“We’re pleased with his race,” Pletcher said. “Even though he ran second, we thought he ran very well. We basically have the same three possible races for him as we do for Materiality. All things being equal, I would be leaning every so slightly toward the Wood Memorial. 

Pletcher said that Stanford could run next in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 28 or the GIII Lexington S. Apr. 11 at Keeneland. 

With seven prospects for the May 2 Derby, there is a pretty good chance that Pletcher will have multiple runners in the Wood and the Florida Derby. 

“Look, it’s a great problem to have,” Pletcher said. “It can be uncomfortable at times. You hate to run horses against each other and generally only one can win. In these cases, the only fair thing to do is to do what you feel is correct for each individual horse and each individual owner. That’s all you can do and sometimes that means running two stablemates against each other which a lot of times is harder on the trainer than the horse.”