Pletcher Looks to Sieze the Day

Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway) looks to solidify his spot as one of the top GI Kentucky Derby contenders in this afternoon's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. With a total of 170 Derby points on the line, seven other competitors are up to the challenge. Carpe Diem has been close to perfect so far in his budding career. A pillar-to-post debut winner at Saratoga in September, the chestnut romped by 6 1/4 lengths in the GI Breeders' Futurity over this course 
Oct. 4. Wide throughout, Carpe Diem rallied nicely as the 9-5 favorite to finish second to Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 1. After a three-month winter break, Carpe Diem returned in the GII Tampa Bay Derby, easily cruising to a five-length victory Mar. 7. 

Danzig Moon (Malibu Moon), who was fourth to Carpe Diem in the Tampa Bay Derby is hoping their rematch to go a bit differently. The Oxley silkbearer, who got off the mark in his third start at Gulfstream Feb. 7, posted a half-mile bullet in :47 3/5 at Palm Meadows Mar. 27. 

'TDN Rising Star' Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense) began his career with three consecutive victories in a special weight at Santa Anita Oct. 11, the rained-off Juvenile Turf S. Nov. 1 and in the GIII Delta Jackpot S. Nov. 22. He never factored when eighth in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7, and will have to bounce back from that effort in order to factor today. 
“He broke a tad slow and got banged around,” trained Jim Cassidy commented. “[The Gomper] was running off and we were bounced around, hitting the rail. [San Felipe rider] Mike [Smith] said to throw that one out; he didn't even have a chance to run.” 

The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Classy Class (Discreetly Mine) will look to tally his second career win here. Successful in his unveiling at Belmont in October, the colt has run solid efforts against graded company with a fourth-place effort in the GII Remsen S. Nov. 29 and thirds behind El Kabeir (Scat Daddy) in the GIII Withers S. Feb. 7 and behind Far From Over (Blame) and El Kabeir in the muddy GIII Gotham S. Mar. 7. 

“He's knocking on the door for a graded stakes win,” Austin Luttrell, assistant to McLaughlin explained. “He ran very well in his second start in the Remsen. The problem was there's a very good horse up there [in El Kabeir]. We were right behind him the entire winter, so hopefully Saturday will be his time to shine.” 

Trainer Nick Zito will look for a fourth Blue Grass victory with Frammento (Midshipman). The chestnut colt graduated in his second start going 1 1/16 miles over this track in October and wrapped-up his juvenile campaign with a fourth in a Churchill ptional claimer and finished second behind Bluegrass Singer (Bluegrass Cat) in a one-mile claimer at Gulfstream. He didn't fire when sixth in the GII Holy Bull S., but jumped into the spotlight when he finished a good third in the GII Lambholm South Fountain of Youth S. Feb. 21 at odds of 63-1. 

“He is a ready horse and for this he has to be ready,” Zito said. “His third in the Fountain of Youth was amazing to close that much ground on that track. A lot of people are really happy with a win and that's how we were for finishing third.” 
Team Valor International's Unrivaled (Super Saver) will take a big step-up in class today, but he has a good chance to figure in this race off his last two efforts. The bay began his career for breeder WinStar farm and Kellyn Gorder. He was claimed by Waldorf Racing at the end of last year and transferred to the Marya Montoya stable. Unrivaled was second in the slop at Parx and then graduated by 15 lengths to end the season Dec. 23. Privately purchased by Team Valor off that effort, he returned to easily rally for a five-length allowance win Mar. 15. Montoya revealed that Unrivaled's subpar early efforts may have been due to his “quirks” and that the addition of a shadow roll vastly improved his starts. 

“There was a time that we thought we had a horse who could run but wasn't worth anything because we couldn't overcome the gate,” said Montoya. “Now he's broken three times perfect.”