Todd Pletcher

Seven-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher notched his 5,000th career win Friday at Aqueduct when Microsecond (Micromanage) won the 7th race, a 1 1/16-mile allowance. The Mike Repole colorbearer won by three-quarters of a length under Kendrick Carmouche. Pletcher was not present for the win, as he was at Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Pletcher had entrants in five races at Keeneland Friday, including three Breeders' Cup races. Pletcher had won 11 Breeders' Cup races going into Friday's program, as well as winning 161 individual career Grade Is....

One race after recording a landmark 5,000th career success, trainer Todd Pletcher sent out Shadwell Stable's regally bred 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin), who negotiated the jump into stakes company with aplomb in Friday's Tempted S. at Aqueduct. Away neatly from gate three, the daughter of Grade I-winning juvenile Dreaming of Julia set a moderate tempo inside of Spa Ready (Street Sense) on the speed three deep. Maintaining what appeared to be a tenuous advantage rounding the turn, the $1.05-million Keeneland September graduate responded when asked leaving the quarter pole...

Sackatoga Stables' GI Belmont S. winner and GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Tiz the Law (Constitution) capped off his serious work ahead of next Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a five-furlong breeze at Keeneland Saturday morning. With his regular work rider Heather Smullen in the irons, the New York-bred drilled five furlongs in :59.20 and galloped out an extra eighth of a mile in 1:12.20 (video). "I saw just what I wanted. He went perfectly," said trainer Barclay Tagg who will send out his 11th Breeders' Cup starter next weekend....

Trainer Todd Pletcher breezed a quintet of Breeders' Cup contenders over the past two mornings at Belmont Park. Halladay (War Front) (Mile), winner of the GI Fourstardave H. last out Aug. 22 at Saratoga, worked five-eighths in company Friday in 1:00.60 on the fast dirt training track. He was scratched out of the GI Shadwell Turf Mile Oct. 3 at Keeneland with a hind leg infection. "I thought it was a good work. We normally don't work him in company, but seeing as we're a little rushed for time between...

When Kiaran McLaughlin announced his retirement earlier this spring, Shadwell Stable's Vice President and General Manager Rick Nichols already had a trainer's name in the back of his mind who could potentially fill the void. "Actually, it was kind of a no-brainer," Nichols said. "Through Kiaran, I got to know Todd [Pletcher] quite well and always had tremendous respect for him. I would have always liked for him to train for us, but since Todd and Kiaran were such good friends, it was a line that I didn't want to...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-Belmont Park, Msw, $63k, 2yo, 1 1/16m, post time: 4:14 p.m. Bridledwood Farm and Don Alberto's homebred CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (Tapit), a full-brother to multiple Grade I winner Constitution, debuts for trainer Todd Pletcher. Bridlewood and Don Alberto partnered to purchase the gray colt's dam Baffled (Distorted Humor), in foal to Tapit, for $3.5 million at the 2016 Fasig November sale. Don Alberto bought out the parnership for $1.8 million at last year's Fasig November sale. The mare's yearling filly by Medaglia d'Oro sold to Mandy...

If the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) gets passed by the United States Senate and then signed into federal law, the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (NHBPA) could launch a legal challenge against it based on the alleged unconstitutionality of the independently overseen anti-doping, drug testing, and racetrack safety standard programs that the new federal law would create. Leroy Gessmann, who serves as both the NHBPA president and as Arizona HBPA's executive director, told commissioners at the Oct. 8 Arizona Racing Commission (AZRC) meeting that "this thing is...

Lightly raced 'TDN Rising Star' Happy Saver (Super Saver) squeezed inside of favorite Tacitus (Tapit) and out-finished fellow sophomore 'Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) to stay perfect in Saturday's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The Wertheimer homebred broke his maiden by an auspicious 5 1/2 lengths going seven furlongs on the GI Belmont S. undercard here in June, and saw out nine panels when taking a Saratoga allowance July 26. He again displayed his appreciation for a route...

Longtime owner and breeder Paul Pompa, Jr., who campaigned dual Classic winner Big Brown (Boundary) in partnership, passed away suddenly Saturday, according to Jerry McClenin, Pompa's cousin-in-law and stable manager. He was 62. A highly respected businessman, Pompa was owner and President of the Brooklyn-based trucking company Truck-Rite Corp., which he recently sold. He got into Thoroughbreds in 2000 with the help of McClenin. "Paul was a tremendous businessman who ran his trucking business almost exclusively on his own," McClenin said. "He came to me saying he wanted to get...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED TRIO DEBUT AT BELMONT 3rd-BEL, $63K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT, 1:26p.m. Michael Tabor's THE GIRL HERSELF (American Pharoah) is one of three blue-blooded fillies making their career bow in this test. Out of Grade I winner Circle of Life (Belong to Me), the bay is a half to Grade I-winning sire Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) and MGSP The Roundhouse (Fusaichi Pegasus). Juddmonte homebred Nubian (Pioneerof the Nile) also looks to open her account here. The bay is a daughter of European champion Special Duty...

The bar is set high for the 11th annual New Vocations Breeders' Cup pledge drive. Last year's fundraiser for the nation's largest retired racehorse rehabilitation and placement program netted $130,000 from owners and trainers of Breeders' Cup entrants. The exclamation point on that record amount was provided by Vino Rosso (Curlin) winning the GI Classic, because the colt's two ownership partners--St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable--plus trainer Todd Pletcher, all pledged their support. Over the last decade New Vocations has raised $650,000 with its annual Breeders' Cup funding drive, which...

Shadwell Stable's Malathaat (Curlin), a daughter of Grade I winner Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy), ran to the money and her pedigree with a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut victory at Belmont. Breezing a half-mile bullet in :49 1/5 (1/10) on Saratoga's Oklahoma training track Oct. 3, she was hammered down to 4-5 favoritism for this career bow. Running the middle of the bunched up sextet early, the $1.05-million KEESEP buy pushed her way up to contest the pace as the first quarter went in :23 flat. Clocking a half-mile in...