Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has kept his top string of horses stabled at Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training track in the weeks following the summer meeting that concluded on Sept. 4 at the upstate New York oval.
Among them are a bevy of graded stakes contenders eyeing starts at Keeneland, including reigning champion 3-year-old filly Nest and juveniles Wine On Tap and Locked.
Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest, a three-time Grade 1-winner, is currently training towards a start in the $600,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) on Oct. 8, where a win would guarantee her a spot in the $2-million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) on November 4 at Santa Anita Park.
Nest was last seen finishing an even third in the Personal Ensign (G1) on August 25 at the Spa over a sloppy and sealed main track, finishing 4 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Idiomatic. That effort came on the heels of a successful return from an eight-month layoff when taking the Shuvee (G2) by 2 1/4 lengths on July 23.
Nest has breezed back four times since the Personal Ensign, most recently covering a half-mile in :51.25 over the Oklahoma on Saturday.
“She's doing well and we're planning on the Spinster,” said Pletcher. “Her works have been excellent. She's a pleasure to train and does whatever you want her to do.”
The Curlin bay was awarded divisional honors last year for a campaign that included victories in Keeneland's Ashland (G1) and two memorable Grade 1 scores in the Spa's Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama. She then captured the Beldame (G2) at the Belmont at the Big A ahead of a fourth as the post-time favorite in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland to complete her season.
Pletcher also expects to send MKW's stakes-placed Wine On Tap and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's Locked for Grade 1 engagements at Keeneland. The former is targeting the $600,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1) on Friday while the latter looks to the $600,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) on Saturday.
Wine On Tap enters the Alcibiades from a prominent second in Monmouth Park's one-mile Sorority on August 20 where she vied for early command and took charge down the backstretch, but was overtaken by the victorious Princess Indy in the stretch while preserving place by a head over the rallying Lagonisi. She garnered a 52 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, which came on the heels of an even fourth-place finish as the favorite in the Schuylerville (G3) on July 13 at Saratoga.
Wine On Tap has also been nominated to the $400,000 Frizette (G1) on October 7 at Belmont at the Big A going a one-turn mile, but Pletcher said he is partial to a trip to Kentucky with the daughter of Tapit.
“We're leaning towards the Alcibiades – two turns would probably be beneficial for her,” said Pletcher. “She was favored in the Schuylerville and she ran steadily like a horse that wants more distance.”
The grey has worked twice at Saratoga in September, and breezed a half-mile in :50 flat on Friday.
Locked, a chestnut son of Gun Runner, was a dominant winner at second asking on September 1, drawing off to a 7 1/4-length victory in a one-mile maiden special weight and garnering a 96 Beyer. The $425,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase improved from a closing third in his August 5 debut with added distance and more prominent tactics under jockey Jose Ortiz.
Pletcher said Locked remains on track for a try around two turns in the Breeders' Futurity.
Repole Stables' Noted, winner of Monmouth's Sapling on August 26, has been nominated to both the Breeders' Futurity and Saturday's American Pharoah (G1) at Santa Anita. Pletcher said he could lean towards the latter, which, like the Breeders' Futurity, offers a berth into the $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at the Arcadia oval.
“Maybe… maybe,” Pletcher said of the American Pharoah. “It would just kind of split everyone up.”
Among Pletcher's other top horses stabled at Saratoga is Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Bright Future, who is training up to the $6-million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). The 4-year-old Curlin chestnut notched his first stakes score in the September 2 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), and has since worked twice over the Oklahoma, including a half-mile move in :49.90 on Friday.
“He's doing good and he's got plenty more breezes to go,” said Pletcher. “I like the way he's doing. That was a big win and a Grade 1, and he's a horse we've always had high hopes for. He seems like he's starting to put it together and the more he matures, the better he gets. He needs to continue to improve and step up, but it seems like that's what he's been doing.”
Pletcher also provided an update on LSU Stables' Grade 1 winner Far Bridge, who was last seen finishing second in the Dueling Grounds Derby (G3) on September 3 at Kentucky Downs. The son of English Channel, who won the Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) in July at Belmont Park, will not target the $500,000 Jockey Club Derby (G3) on Saturday at Belmont at the Big A.
“He's not going in there and he's getting a little bit of a vacation,” said Pletcher. “He had a pretty steady season and we look forward to getting him back.”
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