Todd Pletcher
Calumet Farm homebred Bourbonic (Bernardini) was well deserving of his 70-1 odds on paper, but came flying late to nail stablemate Dynamic One (Union Rags) on the line in Aqueduct's GII Wood Memorial S. Away well from post three, Bourbonic was unhurried early, trailing the field as fellow 70-1 shot and familiar foe Market Maven (Super Ninety Nine) dictated terms, setting early fractions of :24.88 and :50.18 with Weyburn (Pioneer of the Nile) breathing down his neck and Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}) close behind. Weyburn drew even with...
With principal Sheikh Hamdan having passed away just 10 days earlier, unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) provided the Shadwell team with a major pick-me-up as she ran down Pass the Champagne (Flatter) in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Saturday under red-hot Joel Rosario. "I can't put it into words," said an emotional Rick Nichols--Vice President and General Manager of Shadwell--after the race. "I am sure [Sheikh Hamdan] is up there with a big smile on his face looking down on us. We really needed this." Already with 10...
Just a nose short of getting her first graded win in the Mar. 6 GIII Florida Oaks, Jouster offered no anxious moments this time, rolling home a comfortable winner in Saturday's GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland. Signaling her readiness with a sharp four-furlong move in :48.46 at Palm Beach Downs Mar. 27, the 8-5 favorite went straight to the front as her partner, Luis Saez, lulled the field to sleep through initial splits of :24.82 and :49.87. With plenty in reserve kicking for home, the Starlight Racing runner built a...
Blue-blooded 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) looks to follow in her dam and grand-dam's hoofprints by adding a Grade I to her perfect resume Saturday in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland. A debut winner going seven panels at Belmont Oct. 9, the $1.05-million KEESEP purchase romped by 7 3/4 lengths in the one-mile Tempted S. at Aqueduct Nov. 6. She proved distance was no issue when coming alive late with a determined rally to capture a sloppy renewal of the nine-panel GII Demoiselle S. at the Big...
Despite a solid runner-up finish last out in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S., Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music)'s future appears to be around one turn, and he figures to be an overwhelming favorite in Saturday's seven-furlong GIII Bay Shore S. at Aqueduct. Romping to a six-length debut graduation as an 8-5 favorite in a Gulfstream off-the-turfer Sept. 12, the Saffie Joseph trainee repeated in a Gulfstream West allowance/optional claimer Oct. 28 before losing his rider when making his stakes bow in the Jean Lafitte S. Nov. 30 at...
Trainer Todd Pletcher indicated Overtook (Curlin) will make his next start in the May 8 GIII Peter Pan S. at Belmont Park. Since finishing second behind Risk Taking in the GIII Withers S. Feb. 6 at Aqueduct, the son of Grade I winner Got Lucky (A.P. Indy) has registered two easy half-mile works at Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base, including the latest a a four-furlong move in :50.75 Mar. 6. The Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith runner is expected to return...
After putting an exclamation point on his meet with a win in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher was honored with his 17th Gulfstream Park Championship Meet training title Sunday. The 2021 Hall of Fame nominee and his team sent out 58 winners--eight more than Saffie Joseph, Jr.--for earnings of $3,536,482. Irad Ortiz, Jr. took his third-straight meet title with a record 140 wins, 42 more than Paco Lopez in second. The partnership of Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudecher edged out Arindel Farm 13-12 for leading owner....
St Elias Stable homebred Known Agenda (Curlin) upped trainer Todd Pletcher's record of GI Curlin Florida Derby wins to six while taking the race sponsored by his leading sire in impressive fashion Saturday. "It has so many great meanings, but for me what is so special about this is to win it for St Elias with a horse that they bred," Pletcher said. "I know how much that means to them, that makes it a little more extra special for us." The 5-1 shot saved all the ground early in...
Trainer Ken McPeek, who won last year's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks with 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), will look to take a second straight renewal of the 1 1/16-mile race when he saddles Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) Saturday in Hallandale. The gray filly, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, was second in both the GIII Pocahontas S. and GI Darley Alcibiades S. last fall before ending her juvenile campaign with a sixth-place effort in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She rallied from well back to finish...
The GI Kentucky Derby-bound Helium (Ironicus) wasn't the only 3-year-old colt to impress on the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby card Mar. 6. Untreated (Nyquist) put on a show earlier that day as well, graduating by a pole for Todd Pletcher at second asking with a flashy, come-from-behind maiden tally in his two-turn debut (video). He earned a very solid 86 Beyer Speed Figure. A well-beaten sixth as the 4-5 favorite behind next out GIII Sam F. Davis S. winner Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}) going six furlongs...
Starlight Racing's Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}) looks to secure her first black-type victory Saturday in the GIII Florida Oaks at Tampa. Unsuccessful in her first two attempts on dirt, the bay graduated by 8 3/4 lengths when switched to the turf going two turns at Gulfstream Jan. 10. The 'TDN Rising Star' took the field wire-to-wire next out over the same track and trip Feb. 7, earning an 84 Beyer Speed Figure, two points below her maiden-breaking figure. It is no surprise that the biggest competition to the Todd Pletcher trainee...
After recording a stalk-and-pounce victory in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 6, Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}) will have 11 rivals standing in his way to double up in Saturday's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. The Tampa Bay Derby carries 50-20-10-5 qualifying points on the road to the GI Kentucky Derby. The Frank Fletcher colorbearer previously romped by 9 1/4 lengths at second asking going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park Jan. 9. He received 85 Beyer Speed Figures in both efforts. The Sam Davis was Candy...