Todd Pletcher

5 -- HIGH CAMP, GP, 2/7-6th, 7 furlongs (VIDEO) Beyer Speed Figure-85 (c, 3, by Instagrand-Summer Silk, by Uncle Mo) O/B-OXO Equine (Ky). T-Will Walden. J-John Velazquez. Owner-breeder Larry Best continues to get mileage out of his former stakes star Instagrand, but you wouldn't have bet a dollar on High Camp at the quarter-pole. He was 2nd under a ride when two rivals blew past him--prematurely, as it turned out - and he dropped to 4th then swung wide and came back again to win. He's the first foal from...

Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low's Renegade (Into Mischief) entered Saturday's Sam F. Davis as a high-profile, three-start maiden. After 8 1/2 furlongs in the diminishing Oldsmar daylight, the impeccably bred colt emerged as a leading Classics contender, as he turned in an irresistible late rally to score convincingly and give trainer Todd Pletcher a record-extending eighth success in the race. Carrying the Repole colors, the last-out GII Remsen Stakes runner-up was content to drop out to near the tail of the field as longshot Wayne's Law (Tiz the...

Aqueduct saw a fleet of prep races for major spring targets Friday, and the connections of those winners have largely reported good prognoses for their stars as they chart out future targets. Upset winner of the Withers Stakes Talk to Me Jimmy (Modernist) has reportedly come out of his 11-length tour-de-force in good form despite grabbing his front right quarter at some point during the contest. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez reports the colt was in good spirits Saturday morning but that a vet would look at it as a precaution. "Thank...

Neither the Suncoast Stakes nor the Sam F. Davis Stakes, both run at Tampa Bay Downs, are graded stakes races, but that doesn't seem to bother trainer Todd Pletcher. He has made it no secret that he loves to put some of his best 3-year-old candidates on the Tampa route to Churchill Downs, and he will be doing so again on Saturday. Zany (American Pharoah), currently ranked No. 1 in the TDN's Top 10 poll for the GI Kentucky Oaks, will make her 3-year-old debut in the Suncoast, where she...

4th-OP, $126K, OC 100k/C, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 2:32 p.m. ET. Sandman (Tapit), winner of last term's GI Arkansas Derby and third-place finisher in the GI Preakness S., kicks off his 4-year-old campaign in Hot Springs. The $1.2-million OBS March breezer was last seen finishing ninth in the grassy GIII DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational S. at Kentucky Downs Aug. 30. He will race with first-time Lasix with Jose Ortiz aboard. He is owned in partnership by D. J. Stable, St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Stables and is...

A total of 367 of the world's top 3-year-old Thoroughbreds became eligible to compete in the 2026 Triple Crown series during the early nomination phase, which closed Monday, Jan. 26, Churchill Downs said in a press release on Tuesday. This year's early nominees span the globe and include several horses that have already made an impact on the 'Road to the Kentucky Derby', led by graded stakes winners 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Further Ado (Gun Runner), 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard', Golden Tempo (Curlin), 'TDN Rising Star,...

As we crest the three-month mark to the GI Kentucky Derby, the breakthrough performance by Nearly (Not This Time) in the Jan. 31 GIII Holy Bull Stakes raises several questions related to timing, taking into account both macro and micro perspectives. The first relates to the timing of Nearly's 5 3/4-length score over five rivals barely 48 hours after the news that juvenile champ and TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) had been diagnosed with bone bruising and was declared off the Kentucky Derby trail. Both...

Centennial Farms' Nearly (Not This Time) was no worse for wear at Palm Beach Downs Sunday morning after an impressive victory in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream. "He came back well," Todd Pletcher said. "He was feeling frisky [Sunday] morning." Making his two-turn and stakes debuts in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, Nearly stamped himself as a leading prospect for this year's GI Kentucky Derby. It was his third straight victory at the Hallandale Beach oval. "We thought it was a really strong performance.  He put himself...

Two turns, zero problems. With racing action largely limited to the far south across the rest of the country, Nearly (Not This Time) gave the frozen East Coast something to cheer about and passed his stretch-out test with authority Saturday, capturing the GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park and picking up 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. A Florida-bred and Virginia-certified son of Not This Time, Nearly built on a lackluster Aqueduct debut in October, coming back less than a month later to destroy fellow Florida-breds...

Nearly (Not This Time), an impressive winner of two straight by a combined 14 1/4 lengths, will make his two-turn debut in Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Park. The Centennial Farms colorbearer earned a field-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure defeating three rivals in an optional claimer going seven furlongs at Gulfstream most recently Jan. 2. Produced by a winning Mineshaft mare, Nearly worked a bullet four furlongs in :48.59 (1/25) at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 24. He is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull,...

Recently crowned champion 2-year-old and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) has been diagnosed with bone bruising and will be taken off the Kentucky Derby trail, owner Spendthrift Farm announced via press release Thursday. Trainer Todd Pletcher reported that Ted Noffey showed signs of discomfort following a recent breeze, prompting further evaluation. Ted Noffey worked four furlongs in :50.81 (24/27) at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 23. "Since his last breeze, he hasn't been moving as well as he normally does," Pletcher said. "Out of an abundance...

7th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 3:21 p.m. ET. The full-brother of champion 3-year-old filly Nest (Curlin) makes the races under same trainer Todd Pletcher. SPARTACUS dam Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy) was a $2.6-million purchase by M.V. Magnier at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale while the first-time starter was in utero. Her other progeny includes GI 'Big Cap' victor Idol (Curlin) and MSW Lost Ark (Violence).     , Canaletto (Into Mischief) makes his first start after going for an even million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Sent to trainer Chad...