Todd Pletcher
The daughter of one of France's most renowned jockeys and a winner of 23 races, apprentice Megane Peslier seemed poised to have a big year this year in her native country. Instead, she will be riding at Gulfstream Park, hoping to become the latest rising star in the jockey ranks to come out of France. "It is one of the reasons I came here, if they can be successful I think I can be too," she said of the trio of Flavien Prat, Julien Leparoux and Florent Geroux. "If I...
Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Florida, is a gem of a racecourse that doesn't get the accolades it should. Owned by Stella Thayer, president of the track and a member of The Jockey Club, and her brother, Howell Ferguson, Tampa Bay Downs is expertly managed day to day by Peter Berube, vice president and general manager, and Margo Flynn, vice president of marketing. This was obvious on Saturday--"Festival Day 42"--when the track showcased its signature event, the Gll Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, one of five black-type events on the...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:20 p.m. WITH BELLS ON (American Pharoah) starts her career for owners Bass Stables LLC and Cheyenne Stables after realizing $300,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The dam, a juvenile stakes winner on the turf by Giant's Causeway, has already produced two winners on the dirt including Princess Mo (Uncle Mo). Second dam Marylebone (Unbridled's Song) was also a stakes winning juvenile, taking the GI Matron S. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 11-36 over the last five...
Con Lima (Commissioner), the multiple-graded stakes winning mare last seen winning the GIII Saratoga Oaks last August, suffered an injury in her stall at WinStar Farm in Lexington, Kentucky Wednesday night and was euthanized, according to a Tweet from her owners, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Eclipse's Aron Wellman said that the 4-year-old filly was at WinStar preparing for a return to racing and to her trainer Todd Pletcher. "We're devastated to report Con Lima suffered a catastrophic injury in her stall last night and had to be euthanized," the Tweet read....
Abaan (Will Take Charge) looks to build upon his recent success with a bid in the GII Mac Diarmida S. over 1 3/8 miles on the turf at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The 5-year-old gelding, trained by Todd Pletcher, was last seen a clear winner over fellow Mac Diarmida entry Temple (Temple City) in the GIII W. L. McKnight S. Jan. 29. He also previously won the H. Allen Jerkens S. over this course in December. Temple, breaking from post eight under Jose Ortiz, could be right there with a good...
2nd-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:40p.m. ET This contest kicks off the first of two maiden special weights on the Hallendale card with smartly regarded firsters. Breaking from the far outside, Blini (Tapit) has graded stakes winning shadows to outrun: full-siblings Iron Fist, MGSW, $1,104,199; Anchor Down, GISP & MGSW, $734,254; and half-sister Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley), GISW, $693,600. Her dam Successful Outlook (Orientate) is a third generation graded stakes runner and producer. To her inside, there is a Calumet owned and bred half-sister to SW, $865,921, Pingxiang (Speightstown)...
Morello (Classic Empire) looks to take his perfect record to three-for-three and take his first steps down the GI Kentucky Derby trail in Aqueduct's GIII Gotham S. Saturday. A dominant debut winner going six panels at this oval Nov. 27, the $250,000 EASMAY purchase ran to the money with a five-length score in the Big A's Jimmy Winkfield S. Feb. 6. "Morello looks like he could potentially be something special," Dave Lyon of Blue Lion Thoroughbreds said. "I think it's just a perfect race set up for a horse like...
Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) and Fearless (Ghostzapper), one-two across the line in the GIII Fred W. Hooper S. Jan. 29, face off again in Saturday's GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. The highly regarded Godolphin homebred Speaker's Corner, second after setting the pace in the 1 1/8-mile Discovery S. at Aqueduct Nov. 27, turned back to a mile with a sharp, wire-to-wire tally under an aggressive ride from Junior Alvarado in the Hooper. Fearless, four of six with two seconds in Hallandale, rallied from last of eight to finish a...
A field of seven, including a pair of promising unbeaten 3-year-old fillies, will line up in Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream. The rail-drawn Kathleen O. (Upstart) could be any kind after delivering impressively in her first two attempts. The dark bay rallied from the back to post a head-turning 8 1/2-length victory after an eventful start in the track-and-trip Cash Run S. last time Jan. 1. "You never know they're going to be this kind," Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey said. "She had...
Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), the 3-1 morning-line favorite in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream, will be scratched from the race, reports owner Jerry Crawford. His next start will most likely be in the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 9 at Aqueduct. Crawford said he and trainer Todd Pletcher were considering scratching after Mo Donegal drew the 12 post for the Fountain of Youth, but the decision became more clear cut after the colt developed a minor virus. "We are going to scratch," Crawford said. "In...
5th-AQU, $80k, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:50p.m. ET After hitting an eye-catching $735,000 at Keeneland September two years ago, and still missing his reserve, Mystic Quest (Curlin) will go to post here for his breeders Siena Farm in partnership with Cash Asmussen. At the helm for the full brother to MGISP & GSW Point of Honor and half to GI Frizette S. winner Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map) as well as two other stakes winners, Todd Pletcher sends out a colt carrying big expectations against a field of eight others from the...
4th-Fair Grounds, $55,000, Msw, 2-19, 3yo, 6f, 1:09.58, ft, head. MOMENTOUS (c, 3, Speightstown--Glory and Power, by Medaglia d'Oro) amassed a solid worktab at this conditioner's South Florida base at Palm Beach Downs and was sent off at just shy of 5-1, the third pick behind fellow firster and 7-5 pick Marsalis (Curlin x Hot Dixie Chick). Momentous was first to break the line from gate 10, but the favorite--a homebred half-brother to recent GIII Houston Ladies' Classic heroine Pauline's Pearl (Tapit)--was driven through by Joel Rosario to take up...