Todd Pletcher
Even with local heavyweights Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) awaiting the $20-million Saudi Cup, there will still be plenty of talent on display in a loaded renewal of Saturday's GIII Mineshaft S. at Fair Grounds. Miles D (Curlin), third at 18-1 in the GI Runhappy Travers S. last summer, closed out his sophomore campaign with a pair of wins, led by a promising decision in Aqueduct's 1 1/8-mile Discovery S. last time Nov. 27. The runner-up that day Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) resurfaced with a razor sharp win...
With a third place effort in the Tempted S. Nov. 5 at Belmont Park the only blemish to her otherwise perfect four race record, Nest used her neck victory Dec. 4 in the GII Demoiselle S. as a springboard into the winner's circle here. Carrying great expectations as the 1-5 overwhelming favorite, Nest briefly drifted out after the break, but went into the first turn comfortably stalking from third to the outside of the field. Glued to Alittleloveandluck (Arrogate) as the pair tracked a frontrunner through a moderate pace in...
Whisper Hill Farm homebred Charge It (c, 3, Tapit--I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie), a hard-fought, narrow second to subsequent GIII Sam F. Davis S. third-place finisher Volcanic (Violence) after a long duel going a one-turn mile on debut at Gulfstream Jan. 8, romped to a 'TDN Rising Star' graduation at Gulfstream Saturday. He posted a pair of bullets at Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base since, including a four-furlong move in :47 4/5 (1/19) Feb. 5. Drawn widest of all in post 10 going a mile once again here,...
The Stonestreet-bred, Shadwell-campaigned seven-figure Keeneland September yearling Malathaat (Curlin) was an unsurprising recipient of the Eclipse Award for champion 3-year-old filly Thursday evening. Her signature win came in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks, but she also took the GI Central Bank Ashland and GI Alabama S. for trainer Todd Pletcher before a close third in a wild running of the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Tuesday fresh off of a pair of seven-figure wins at Gulfstream and amid one of the hottest streaks of his training life. Sitting down with Joe Bianca, Bill Finley and Jon Green as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Pletcher talked about Life Is Good's dazzling win in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. and what's next for the superstar son of Into Mischief, a planned Dubai trip for MGISW turfer Colonel Liam (Liam's...
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss superstar Life Is Good and his top three-year-old trainees.
With less than three months remaining before the running of the GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher, with 42 horses nominated to the Triple Crown, will be active in a number of Derby preps as he prepares his troops for his annual invasion of Churchill Downs. Pletcher divulged his plans during this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast, which will be available Wednesday afternoon. Despite finishing third as the favorite in last Saturday's GIII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream, Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) may represent Pletcher's best chance of winning a...
The third of five pools for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is set for its three-day stand Friday at noon with the pari-mutuel field of "All Other 3-Year-Olds" tabbed as the clear 5-2 morning line favorite while Lucky Seven Stable's undefeated Smile Happy (Runhappy) along with C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable's GIII Holy Bull S. winner White Abarrio (Race Day) lead the individual choices at 8-1. The third KDFW pool will run through Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. Bettors can place win and exacta wagers at simulcast outlets...
A total of 312 sophomores were nominated for this year's Triple Crown series at the early nomination deadline of Jan. 29. The number of early nominations slipped 4.3%, or 14 horses, from last year's total of 326. The nominated group is led by Grade I winners Corniche (Quality Road), Jack Christopher (Munnings), Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) and Rattle N Roll (Connect). Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), winner of last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and likely 2-year-old champion female, is one of six fillies made eligible for the Triple Crown. Nominees...
Whisper Hill Farm homebred Grand Sonata (Medaglia d'Oro) got out of a jackpot just in time Saturday to come out on top of Gulfstream's GIII Kitten's Joy S. exacta for the en fuego Todd Pletcher barn. Royal Spirit (Into Mischief) was second best, while favored Coinage (Tapit)--making his first start since finishing ninth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf--settled for third after showing the way. Second in his Belmont unveiling to next-out GIII Futurity S. winner Slipstream (More Than Ready) in October, Grand Sonata donned cap and gown around...
'TDN Rising Star' My Prankster put it all together Saturday to make the grade. A jaw-dropping, 10-length, 92 Beyer-earning debut graduate at Saratoga in August, the bay was a distant fourth behind impressive winner and fellow 'Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) in Belmont's GI Champagne S. over a one-turn mile Oct. 2. He was a close second as the chalk in Keeneland's sloppy six-furlong Bowman Mill S. 28 days later, and was 1-9 when annexing an optional claimer going a furlong shorter here Dec. 10. Off as the second choice...
9th-Gulfstream, $54,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-4, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.97, ft, 5 3/4 lengths. IN DUE TIME (c, 3, Not This Time--Sweet Sweet Annie, by Curlin), a debut winner in the Monmouth mud July 18, returned from the bench to finish third, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, behind the two-for-two Dean's List (Speightstown) going six furlongs at Gulfstream Jan. 8. In Due Time fired a five-furlong bullet in 1:00 1/5 (1/19) at Palm Meadows Jan. 28 and meant business at an overlooked 10-1 here. Drawn on the rail, he traveled nicely...