Todd Pletcher
It's not unusual to see the Saratoga meeting's top two trainer knock heads in graded competition and such is again the case in Monday's GII Bernard Baruch H. Representing 'Team Pletcher' is En Wye Cee (Declaration of War), a winner going nine furlongs in a rained-off optional claimer at this meet in 2020, but winless in two starts since. After rounding out last season with a third behind the Chad Brown-trained pair of Devamani (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Olympico (Fr) (Rajsaman {Fr}), the full-brother to GSW Silentio lacked racing room...
As the agent for the powerful partnership of Mike Repole's Repole Stable and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias (involved in $10,435,000 worth of Keeneland September '20 expenditures, mostly together on Classic-leaning colts); the buyer for upper-market players Robert and Lawana Low ($1,535,000 on four head last September); and in his role as Vice President, Bloodstock for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (part of $4,267,000 in buys at KEESEP '20 including the $2-million topper), there aren't many, if any, agents with more money behind them these days than Jacob West. Considering Eclipse partnered on...
Annapolis (c, 2, War Front--My Miss Sophia, by Unbridled's Song) was backed with supreme confidence as the 6-5 favorite in a seemingly wide-open, two-turn grass maiden special weight at the Spa Saturday, and he ran to the money with an ultra-impressive 'TDN Rising Star' debut performance. The Ramona Bass homebred's worktab featured a trio of visually impressive drills over the Oklahoma training turf for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, including a four-furlong spin in :50 2/5 (24/74) around the dogs Aug. 8. He raced toward the back in eighth in...
Don Alberto Stable's Forza Di Oro (Speightstown) has shown considerable talent in six starts dating back to his debut in September of 2019, and he'll finally get his chance at the highest level as a likely favorite in Saturday's 10-furlong GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, being run at Saratoga for the first time in the race's storied history. Running a huge race after a disastrous start to be second at 31-1 in his unveiling, the homebred graduated next out, but took a major step backward when finishing eighth, beaten 24...
Impressive through his first two races before disappointing in his third try, Repole Stable's Never Surprised (Constitution) will return off a seven-plus month layoff to face a formidable pair of Chad Brown rivals and three other challengers in Saturday's GIII Saranac S. at Saratoga. Debuting over six furlongs on the Aqueduct grass last November, Never Surprise stalked the pace, pounced at the quarter pole and drew clear in the lane for a 3 1/2-length success, earning a strong 89 Beyer. He bettered that number by one point when going wire...
The unraced 3-year-old filly America's Joy (American Pharoah), a half-sister to Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday), Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), out of the 2016 Broodmare of the year Leslie's Lady suffered a fatal injury Sunday morning during a workout at Saratoga, according to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Pope purchased the filly for a record $8.2 million at the 2019 Keeneland September sale. The news was a severe blow to her connections, who were anxiously awaiting the debut of a filly who appeared to have unlimited potential. Trainer...
Americanrevolution added another impressive tally to his resume with a dominant score in the Albany. Riding the rail in fifth through a :23.49 opening quarter, the chestnut maintained that position as Bobby Bo put up a :47.33 half-mile. Taking closer order on the backstretch run, Americanrevolution ranged up to confront the leader turning for home and the pair battled to the wire with Americanrevolution drawing clear late to win. Bobby Bo held second and it was a long way back to third-place horse. "I thought we would be a little...
J Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) puts his perfect three-for-three Saratoga record on the line when he faces five rivals in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. at Saratoga Saturday. The bay colt won last year's GII Saratoga Special S. and GI Hopeful S. and returned to the upstate oval to annex the Aug. 1 GII Amsterdam S. last time out. "He's done really well," trainer Steve Asmussen said of Jackie's Warrior. "All three of his races at Saratoga were obviously very good. We're anxious to...
Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) will attempt to win his third Grade I victory at Saratoga when he goes postward in the GI Forego S. Saturday. The 5-year-old pulled the 10-1 upset when going wire-to-wire in the 2018 GI Hopeful S. and returned to win the 2019 GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S., again at double-digit odds. His Spa streak was interrupted last year when he was third in the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and eighth in the Forego, but he returned to the...
Kiaran McLaughlin surprised much of the racing world last year when he abruptly decided to halt his massively successful training career in order to become the jockey's agent for Luis Saez. But it shouldn't surprise anyone to see the success McLaughlin has had handling Saez's book, as the 29-year-old Panamanian is poised to win his first Saratoga riding title. Wednesday, McLaughlin joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to talk about why he made his career shift, the booming results of his partnership with Saez, memories of triumphs in...
St. Elias Stables' Known Agenda (Curlin--Byrama {GB}, by Byron {GB}), winner of this year's GI Florida Derby, has been retired from racing and will take up stud duty at Spendthrift Farm in 2022. The chestnut, who will stand for an introductory fee of $10,000 S&N, will be offered through the farm's "Share The Upside" program on a limited basis. He is available for inspection by appointment. "Any time you can add a Florida Derby winner by Curlin with his looks and pedigree, you jump at the opportunity," said Ned Toffey,...
Shadwell Stable's Malathaat (Curlin), winner of Saturday's GI Alabama S., will likely train up to the Nov. 6 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff, trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed Sunday morning. "Right now, we're focused on the Distaff, so we'll zero in on that and take things from there. That's the most likely scenario," Pletcher said. "Nothing's etched in stone, but that's sort of the plan that we discussed with Rick Nichols [of Shadwell] a while ago." Malathaat won the GI Ashland S. and GI Kentucky Oaks before suffering her first career...