Wertheimer and Frere's undefeated stakes winner Happy Saver and Grade 1 Belmont Stakes runner-up Dr Post will both bypass next Saturday's Grade 1 Preakness for trainer Todd Pletcher, with the conditioner saying the former of the two will target the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Happy Saver, by Super Saver, graduated on June 20 at Belmont and followed with a nine-furlong allowance score on July 26 at Saratoga ahead of a driving 1 1/2-length score last out in the nine-furlong Federico Tesio on September 7 at Pimlico.
He worked a bullet five eighths in 1:01.09 Friday on the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. Pletcher said extra time between races will benefit the lightly raced Happy Saver.
“I was happy with his work yesterday and I just decided I like the extra week and it looks to be a shorter field here,” said Pletcher. “He's done everything we've asked of him so far. It's pretty hard to win your first three races at three different tracks and stretch out to win a stakes at a mile and an eighth. He's been very impressive and we're happy with his development.”
Last year, the Pletcher-trained Vino Rosso crossed the wire first in the Jockey Club Gold Cup but was demoted to second after a rugged stretch run with Code of Honor, who was elevated to victory. Vino Rosso exited that effort to win the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.
A win by Happy Saver would provide Pletcher with his first Jockey Club Gold Cup score.
“The Jockey Club has been a frustrating race for us. We've had some tough losses and last year's was especially tough but it was a great stepping stone to a great win in the Classic, so it would be fun to win it,” said Pletcher.
Pletcher said he preferred not to look too far into the future for Happy Saver with regard to a potential start in the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 7 at Keeneland.
“One race at a time,” said Pletcher.
Pletcher said St Elias Stable's multiple graded-stakes placed Dr Post, who finished fourth last out in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on September 5 at the Spa, is enjoying some downtime at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.
“We sent him to Kentucky to give him a little bit of a freshening. He'll get some turn out time at WinStar and join us back in Florida in December,” said Pletcher.
The Quality Road colt graduated at second asking in March at Gulfstream Park ahead of a score in the 1 1/16-mile Unbridled at the Hallandale Beach oval. After completing the exacta in the Belmont Stakes, Dr Post was a distant third in the Grade 1 Haskell won by eventual Grade 1 Kentucky Derby champ Authentic.
Pletcher will be well represented in the Grade 1, $250,000 Belmont Derby Invitational, a 10-furlong turf test for sophomores offering a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, in which he will saddle Farmington Road and No Word with Mo Ready also under consideration for the October 3 tilt.
“We're looking at the Belmont Derby for all three. It's a good opportunity for 3-year-olds on the turf,” said Pletcher.
Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Chrysalis Stables and Robert LaPenta, Farmington Road rallied from last-of-five to capture a Colonial Downs allowance route last out on July 29 in his turf debut.
Wertheimer and Frere's No Word, a dark bay son of Silent Name, boasts a record of two wins and three thirds from six career starts all on turf. The dark bay closed to finish third last out in the Saratoga Derby Invitational on August 15 at the Spa, defeated a half-length to victorious Domestic Spending.
Repole Stable's Mo Ready, a New York homebred son of Uncle Mo, boasts a record of 7-2-1-1 and captured a one-mile state-bred turf allowance last out on August 15 at Saratoga.
Harrell Ventures' Halladay made the grade with a sparkling performance last out in the Grade 1 Fourstardave on August 22 at Saratoga that garnered a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure.
The 4-year-old War Front colt breezed a half-mile in 48.75 Friday on the Oklahoma dirt training track in preparation for the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on October 3 at Keeneland.
“The breeze went well. He's doing great and will ship out on Monday for the Shadwell Mile,” said Pletcher. “He ran so well in the Fourstardave we wanted to give the race there at Keeneland a try and give him a race over the course. Hopefully, it will be a good stepping stone to the Breeders' Cup Mile.
The ultra-consistent grey boasts a record of 14-6-2-4 with purse earnings of $517,485.
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