Todd Pletcher

3rd-SAR, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:20 p.m. ET. MALUS (Into Mischief)--owned by Brookdale and trained by Todd Pletcher--is the second foal and first to make the races out of Lady Apple (Curlin). The winner of the GIII Fantasy Stakes, GIII Houston Ladies Classic and the GIII Iowa Derby, this dam was acquired for $1.2-million by Gerald Butler at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale. Lady Apple is a half-sister to SW Dr. Diamonds Prize (Pure Prize) and GSW American Apple (American Pharoah). TJCIS PPS

During the running of the ninth race--the Mount Vernon Stakes--at Saratoga Race Course on Wednesday, the Todd Pletcher-trained SW Whatlovelookslike (English Channel) was pulled up and on Thursday the 6-year-old was humanely euthanized, according to a press release from NYRA VP of Communications Pat McKenna. The wearer of saddle cloth 10 was pulled up by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. after sustaining an injury to the right hind. The mare was immediately attended to by on-track veterinarians, who stabilized the injury and transported the Barry Schwartz-owned runner to Rood & Riddle...

The field for the GI Belmont Stakes, ranked in "likeliest winner" order. 1) JOURNALISM (c, Curlin--Mopotism, by Uncle Mo) O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, Elayne Stables 5 LLC, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. Sales history: $825,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 7-5-1-1, $2,838,880. Last start: WON May 17 GI Preakness Stakes. For most handicappers, the decision to bet on or against Journalism will come down to whether you think he's still riding an upward...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Led by Breeders' Cup winners Fierceness (City of Light) and White Abarrio (Race Day), a talented field of five will line up for Saturday's GI Metropolitan Handicap on the stacked GI Belmont Stakes program at Saratoga. TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack takes a closer look at the pedigrees of all five of the runners entered in the stallion-making race. #1 FIERCENESS (c, 4, City of Light--Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty) Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt & MGISW, 10-6-1-1, $4,315,320. O-Repole Stable, Derrick Smith, Michael B....

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--The sting of missing the GI Kentucky Derby has faded. Ditto for the GI Preakness Stakes. Rodriguez (Authentic) is well rested, healthy and a ready to roll 'TDN Rising Star.' The colt, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, will make his Triple Crown debut in Saturday's GI $2 million Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan, Rodriguez turned heads earlier...

SARATIOGA SPRINGS--One thing trainer Michael McCarthy didn't have to worry about as he planned his trip to Saratoga Race Course was lodging. For his horses, anyway. When McCarthy shipped GI Belmont Stakes favorite Journalism (Curlin) and two other stakes horses to the Spa, he knew right where they were going. That would be the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, whom McCarthy worked for as an assistant for nearly 12 years before going out on his own in 2014. "I was a slow learner," McCarthy said with a...

There's not much that Jimmy Ventura hasn't done in racing. He's trained, owned and bred horses. He's worked at Three Chimneys and Spendthrift and has worked in the racing office at Monmouth. But he's never had that big horse. That may be about to change. Ventura, who works in commercial real estate, has partnered with celebrity chef Bobby Flay on a son of Justify that they bought as a weanling at Keeneland November for $350,000. The horse's name is Crudo (Justify) and though he's only had three lifetime starts he...

Mindframe (Constitution--Walk of Stars, by Street Sense), most recently winner of the GI Churchill Downs Stakes, will take up stud duties at Claiborne Farm at the conclusion of his racing career, the farm announced Sunday evening. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 13 3/4-length debut victory at Gulfstream Park last March, the dark bay colt was second--beaten just a half-length by Dornoch (Good Magic)--in the GI Belmont Stakes in just his third trip to the post. He was second again after recovering from a stumbling start in the GI...

Bobby Flay and James Ventura's Crudo (Justify) confirmed his readiness for Saturday's GI Belmont Stakes with a four-furlong work in :48.86 (4/17) over the Oklahoma training track Sunday in Saratoga. Last-out winner of the Sir Barton Stakes, the colt worked in company with GI Woody Stephens Stakes contender Gate to Wire (Munnings). He broke off about one length back and traveled to the outside of Gate to Wire as NYRA clockers timed him through splits of :12 4/5, :24 4/5, and out in 1:01 3/5 and 1:14 3/5. "I thought...

GI Kentucky Derby third Baeza (McKinzie) arrived at Saratoga Race Course Thursday evening to prepare for his upcoming start in next weekend's GI Belmont Stakes. Trained by John Shirreffs, the half-brother to both Dornoch (Good Magic) and Mage (Good Magic) arrived at 8:45 p.m. from California along with the Doug O'Neill-trained Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief), who will likely enter the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap. "He looks pretty bright coming off the van," said Shirreffs on Thursday evening. Of the colt's Derby effort, Shirreffs added: "I thought he ran...

A group of former Todd Pletcher assistant trainers have pledged to donate a percentage of their earnings from the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival to support the mission of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), the organization said on Thursday in a press release. Michael McCarthy, George Weaver, Jonathan Thomas, Whit Beckman and Amelia Green have each committed a portion of their festival earnings to the TRF, underscoring their dedication to the welfare of retired racehorses. Click here to learn more about helping the TRF.

With nothing off the table, MGISW Fierceness (City of Light) could face stablemate GISW Mindframe (Constitution) in next month's GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap, according to trainer Todd Pletcher. Fierceness worked Thursday over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for what is shaping up to be a titanic race during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. The champion colt breezed in company with GSP Tuscan Sky (Vino Rosso) through a half-mile in 49.85 seconds, according to NYRA clockers. It marked the pair's second...