No less than twelve horses have been pre-entered by Todd Pletcher for the upcoming 2-day Breeders’ Cup on Nov 6-7 at Santa Anita Park.
Included in the dozen is Quality Road, who traveled 5f in 1:00.52 at Belmont Park in preparation for the $5 million Classic. The flashy 3yo obviously has talent, but ten furlongs is pushing the envelope, and how will be handle the Pro-Ride surface?
Exciting Juvenile Turf prospect Interactif breezed 4f in :49.14 on Oct 26th. He looked good in winning the Bourbon at Keeneland on Oct 11th.
Pletcher sure is loaded with promising youngsters, and …read more

Time to take a look at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and the Todd Pletcher runner Interactif is the one to deny.
The Broken Vow colt, out of a Broad Brush mare, graduated in a main track sprint. He pressed the pace and weakened in the Grade 2 Sanford at Saratoga 2nd time out, and then Pletcher switched him to the turf.
His first grass race was a smashing success as he drew off to a facile tally in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at a mile and a sixteenth at Saratoga.
His most recent start was a powerful off …read more

Misremembered turned the tables on Grazen in the Grade 2 Swaps. The latter wired the Affirmed (G3), and the former made all of the running on July 18th. Still think Grazen is the better horse, and he probably would have won on Sunday with aggressive handling. Cool that Bob Baffert won the Swaps with his other horse after Derby runner-up Pioneerof The Nile was retired with a leg injury.
Nick Zito struck graded gold at Delaware Park on Sunday, as his speedy colt Our Edge never looked back en route to a facile win in the Barbaro …read more

The Godolphin duo had their first works at Churchill on Saturday. Regal Ransom went 5f in :59-4/5, and his stablemate Desert Party covered the same distance in 1:00-1/5. The former is a Derby pace player, and the latter was the more highly regarded of the duo in Dubai.

Illinois Derby hero Musket Man traveled six furlongs in 1:13. He finished up well and is a live Derby longshot.
Advice upset the apple cart in Saturday’s Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. Gomez was aboard for Todd Pletcher . Note that barn already has Dunkirk for the Derby, …read more

Tampa Bay Derby winner Musket Man takes on ten rivals in Saturday’s Illinois Derby (G2) at Hawthorne Race Course. Eibar Coa hops aboard the versatile 7-2 morning line fav. He has won 3 of 4 and figures right there if able to handle a surface other than Tampa.
Giant Oak (9-2) is late running trouble-prone sort, and he is due for clear sailing and racing luck. The Chris Block runner needs pace help, and the speedy Perfect Song (6-1) figures to ensure honest splits.

Nowhere To Hide (5-1) will start from the rail for Nick Zito, and he was …read more

Quality Road passed his first route test with flying colors in Saturday’s Florida Derby .
The Elusive Quality colt was always traveling well tracking the pace under Johnny V , and when Dunkirk made a bold move turning for home, Quality Road found another gear and pulled clear for a 1-3/4 length tally.
The James Jerkens trainee joins I Want Revenge and Friesan Fire as versatile graded Derby prep route winners, and this crop is much faster and deeper than the ‘08 crew.
Early/pressing speed is frequently dangerous at the Gulf, especially at nine furlongs, and the track …read more

A field of 9 has been drawn for the nine furlong $750k Florida Derby (G1), and the highly regarded Dunkirk is the probable fav.
The Todd Pletcher runner has been visually impressive in a pair of wins to kick off his career at the Gulf, and it’s make or break time as he desperately needs graded earnings. Anything less than an exacta finish and his Derby dreams are virtually over.
Pletcher is worried about the lack of pace on Saturday, and he has entered maiden Europe to spice up the early fractions. The rabbit broke slow in …read more

Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song) is high on many Kentucky Derby lists, but he has no graded earnings to date, so Saturday’s Florida Derby is a critical prep for the Todd Pletcher trainee.
In order to make it to the Derby starting gate, a top two finish on Saturday is mandatory.

Fountain of Youth hero Quality Road is the one to catch, and to that end, Pletcher may enter a rabbit (Europe) to ensure an honest pace for his undefeated $3.7 million purchase.
Entries for the Florida Derby will be taken on March 25th. Stay tuned!
Photo Credit: newscom.com

The Grade 2 Lane’s End Stakes is Turfway Park’s major Derby prep, and the $50k nine furlong synthetic route has attracted big name trainers such as Bill Mott, Todd Pletcher, and Wayne Lukas.

West Side Bernie (Bernstein) won the Ky Cup Juvenile here. He was last seen finishing an even 3rd from disadvantageous outer post in graded flat mile affair at the Gulf. He handles any footing and packs a decent late kick, and he should give a good account of himself under new rider Edgar Prado.
Jack Spratt (Candy Ride) failed to handle regular dirt in Fountain of Youth …read more

Saturday’s $300k Tampa Bay Derby has drawn an interesting field of 11, and note that there have only been two wire jobs in 61 races conducted at 8.5f. Stalk and pounce types perform best, and I will look for value contenders with the right running style.
Musket Man won his 1st three sprint starts and was hardly disgraced in Sam Davis show finish (post 9) at this distance here last time. He projects a ground saving stalking trip at playable odds. He sports a pair of local bullets for this, and note that he defeated Sam Davis winner General Quarters …read more