Pletcher-Trained Happy Saver Targeting Jockey Club Gold Cup; Dr Post To Be Freshened

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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Preakness: Pletcher ‘Weighing Out All Of Our Options’ With Happy Saver, Dr Post

Trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday he is still unsure if he will enter Happy Saver or Dr Post in the Grade 1, $1 million Preakness October 3 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

Owned by Wertheimer et Frere, Happy Saver, a chestnut son of Super Saver, is unbeaten in three lifetime starts, including a winning stakes debut in the Federico Tesio on September 7 at Laurel Park.

The Kentucky homebred worked a half-mile in 49.03 seconds over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga on Friday morning.

“I like the way he worked. He's doing well,” Pletcher said. “I haven't decided yet. We'll just continue to survey what shakes out here.”

St Elias Stable's Dr Post, a last out fourth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on September 5 as the favorite, worked an easy half-mile in 50.06 seconds over the Oklahoma training track on Saturday morning. The son of Quality Road was a respective second and third in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20 and the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 18 at Monmouth Park.

“We're weighing out all of our options. We'll try to sort it all out this week,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher also indicated that the Grade 1, $250,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on October 10 against older horses going 1 1/4 miles would be a possible option for either horse should they skip the Preakness.

On Saturday, Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable and Stonestreet Stables' Likeable powered home to an 8 1/4-length maiden victory. The 2-year-old son of freshman sire Frosted extended his advantage at every point of call going the one-turn mile and registered an 81 Beyer for the win.

“We always liked him,” Pletcher said. “He had a solid debut but took a big step forward [Saturday]. He handled the stretch out well and galloped out strongly. We were very happy with it.”

Pletcher was non-committal to a next start but said a stakes race would likely be in order.

“We'll let the dust settle a little bit,” Pletcher said. “He'll probably move up into a stake of some sort. The [Grade 1, $250,000] Champagne [on October 10] is here, and he's now won here at the distance. It's also back in three weeks so we'll have to play it by ear.”

Bred in Kentucky by co-owner Stonestreet Stables, Likeable was purchased for $350,000 from last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Elm Tree Farm, and is out of the stakes-winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Dashing Debby, who also produced stakes winner and multiple graded stakes-placed Dawn the Destroyer.

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Belmont Runner-up Dr Post Headlines Jim Dandy

Dr Post (Quality Road), a very respectable second behind Tiz the Law (Constitution) in the shortened GI Belmont S. June 20, will be the one to beat in Saturday’s GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga after bypassing the GI Kentucky Derby.

He followed his tenacious win while making his two-turn bow in Gulfstream’s Unbridled S. Apr. 25 by finishing 3 3/4 lengths within the imposing Derby favorite in Elmont, then reported home third after falling a bit too far behind early in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth last time July 18.

“He’s been training well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s a high-quality colt and trains accordingly. I’m very happy with him. He showed his quality in the Belmont when he ran as close to Tiz the Law as anyone else has. He kind of had a less-than-ideal trip in the Haskell, but hopefully he’s ready to move forward here.”

Pletcher’s other entrant, the lightly raced and rail-drawn Happy Saver (Super Saver), made it a perfect two-for-two with a ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance over track and trip in a first-level allowance July 26. He is also entered in the $100,000 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel Monday, Sept. 7.

“Our first preference is the Tesio, assuming that everything goes according to plan,” Pletcher said. “We felt like the Tesio could potentially be a good segway toward the Preakness if he continues to develop.”

Fellow ‘Rising Star’ Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), favored in all four of his previous career starts, including a third-place finish from the clouds in the local GIII Peter Pan S. July 16, adds blinkers for the first time for trainer Mike Stidham.

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Kentucky Derby Derby Notes: Final Works On Three Fronts; Shirl’s Speight Out With Cough

Kentucky Derby hopefuls worked on three fronts Saturday morning highlighted by Sackatoga Stable's Tiz the Law's five-furlong work in :59.21 over a fast track at Saratoga.

Beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, John Oxley's Enforceable worked a half-mile in :49.60 and Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo worked a half-mile in :52.20. Also working was Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver who covered a half-mile in :49.20 in her final prep for Friday's Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).

At Del Mar, 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Storm the Court worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 and Thousand Words covered five furlongs in :59.80.

Also at Del Mar, Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Honor A. P. breezed seven furlongs in 1:27.20 with Mike Smith up at 12:45 p.m., a little over an hour before the day's first race.

Owner Charles Fipke reported that Shirl's Speight will miss the Derby because of a minor cough.

ART COLLECTOR – Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector jogged a mile at 6:45 a.m. with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the saddle.

The Blue Grass and Ellis Park Derby winner had his final work prior to the Derby Friday with a five-furlong move in 1:00.80. He is expected to walk the shedrow Sunday.

ATTACHMENT RATE – Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's $200,000 Ellis Park Derby runner-up Attachment Rate galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Faustino Herrarte at 7:30 a.m.

Attachment Rate is scheduled to work on Sunday. Trainer Dale Romans is due back in Louisville Saturday from Saratoga.

AUTHENTICSpendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing's $1 million Haskell (GI) winner Authentic is scheduled work Sunday at Del Mar and arrive Monday at Churchill Downs. The plane is due to land at 11:30 a.m.

DR POST – St. Elias Stable's Haskell third-place finisher Dr Post was removed from Kentucky Derby consideration, according to Churchill Downs assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.

ENFORCEABLE – Lecomte (GIII) winner Enforceable completed his major Derby preparations by working a half-mile in :49.60 under jockey Adam Beschizza.

Breezing over a track labeled as good during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks runners, Enforceable posted fractions of :12.80, :24.80, :37.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.20 while working on his own.

“I think he is really improving at this stage of his career,” trainer Mark Casse said. “He's maturing; he's ready to go.

“I thought he looked super,” added Casse, who will be seeking the first Kentucky Derby triumph of his Hall of Fame career. “If you said to me three months ago you could have him where he is today and you'd be in the position you're in, I would have taken it. I just think he's at the top of his game right now. That's all you can ask for.”

Saturday's work was the sixth for Enforceable since finishing fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes (GII) at Keeneland on July 11 and the second consecutive work with Beschizza aboard.

“I thought the work was perfect,” said Beschizza, who also had worked Enforceable over the winter at Fair Grounds. “He went a scratch under :50. Mark and (assistant trainer) David (Carroll) just wanted to keep the lid on it. His major work was in the bag.”

Enforceable will represent the first Kentucky Derby mount for Beschizza.

“I like his consistency,” Beschizza said. “He is a light-framed horse and doesn't need a lot to keep fit. He is going to have to be on his 'A' game. He needs pace and we know he is going to get it (in the Derby).”

“Where he fits in (the Kentucky Derby field) will depend a lot on who gets lucky, who doesn't. And pace,” Casse said of the late-running colt. “But the only thing for us as a trainer we want is for a horse to be at the top of his game, and I feel like he's there.”

Casse is set to drive up to Kentucky from his base in Ocala, Florida, with a planned midweek arrival.

FINNICK THE FIERCE – Arnaldo Monge and trainer Rey Hernandez's Finnick the Fierce galloped Saturday morning at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington.

Hernandez said Finnick the Fierce would train the next two mornings in Lexington and then ship to Churchill Downs Monday afternoon.

HONOR A. P. – (from Del Mar media office) C R K Stable's Honor A.P. went through his final Kentucky Derby prep Saturday at Del Mar at 12:45 p.m. PT.

The ridgling son of Honor Code was sent seven furlongs with his Derby rider, Mike Smith, up and his trainer, John Shirreffs, looking on from the track's Clubhouse box section. His final time for the move was 1:27.20. Track clocker Toby Turrell caught splits of  :25.80, :37.80, :50.20, 1:02.80 and 1:14.80 along the way. He gave him a one mile gallop-out time of 1:40.60.

“I just wanted an easy seven eighths,” Shirreffs said. “He got it; we're good to go. Now we just need a bit of luck. You need some of that in that race.”

Since running second in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on August 1, the grandson of the late champion and superior stallion A.P. Indy now has had four workouts at Del Mar in preparation for his mile and a quarter debut next Saturday.  His last three –:59.40 Aug. 15, 1:00.20 Aug. 22 and today's drill – all have been accomplished in the early afternoon with Hall of Famer Smith up.

Smith and Shirreffs combined to pull off a 50-1 shocker in the 2005 Kentucky Derby with Giacomo. Honor A.P., who won the Santa Anita Derby in June, is expected to be one of the shorter betting choices for the Run for the Roses behind the likely stout favorite Tiz the Law.

KING GUILLERMO – Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo published an easy half-mile move in :52.20 Saturday morning under exercise rider Edgar Garcia.

Trained by Juan Avila, King Guillermo strolled through opening eighth-mile splits of :14.40 and :27.20 before he galloped out five furlongs in 1:05.20.

“(Juan) asked me to go easy and it was exactly what the horse needed,” Garcia said. “I thought he galloped out around the turn well and was moving very easy on the track. He doesn't need to do much, he's pretty fit.”.

MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm's $300,000 Indiana Derby (GIII) runner-up Major Fed had a scheduled walk day following his five-furlong move in :59 Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

“He cooled out great,” trainer Greg Foley said.  

Major Fed is likely to return to the track Sunday at 5:15 a.m.

MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred's $1 million Travers Stakes (GI) third-place finisher Max Player schooled in the paddock and galloped 1 ½ miles at 6 a.m. with exercise rider Juan Vargas in the saddle.

The Steve Asmuseen-trained colt is expected to work Monday. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will have the call in the Derby.

MONEY MOVES – Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable's two-time winner Money Moves is targeting the Kentucky Derby, according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.

Money Moves worked five furlongs in 1:00.14 Friday at Saratoga for trainer Todd Pletcher. He is scheduled to arrive Monday at Churchill Downs.

NECKER ISLAND – Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's Necker Island walked the shedrow at trainer Chris Hartman's barn a day after working a half-mile in :48.40.

“Once he got going, I thought it was a good work,” Hartman said of the breeze that ended with a :23.40 final quarter and a gallop-out to the half-mile  pole. “He will walk again tomorrow and then back to the track Monday.”

Miguel Mena, who was aboard for the work, has the Derby mount, his second. Mena rode Backtalk in the 2010 Run for the Roses.

NY TRAFFIC – John Fanelli, Cash is King and Paul Braverman's Ny Traffic walked the shedrow at trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.'s barn at Saratoga a day after working five furlongs in :59.45.

Joseph reported via text that Ny Traffic came out of the work well and is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs Monday.

RUSHIE – Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie walked the shedrow at trainer Michael McCarthy's barn a day after working five furlongs in 1:01.60.

“Everything is good this morning,” McCarthy said looking at the track that was labeled muddy before the first renovation break. “We got lucky with the weather yesterday and it worked out well.”

SHIRL'S SPEIGHT – Charles Fipke reported on Twitter that $100,000 Marine Stakes winner Shirl's Speight will miss the Kentucky Derby due to a minor cough.

“He's coughing and full of mucus so we've had to put him on antibiotics,” trainer Roger Attfield said. “I've had 4 or 5 of them (get sick) these last couple weeks actually. It's nothing majorly serious but it's bad timing. We were looking forward to seeing if we could something fancy but there will be another day. Just normal stuff we have to go through quite often.”

SOLE VOLANTE – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone's Sole Volante walked the shedrow at trainer Patrick Biancone's barn at Palm Meadows a day after working five furlongs in :57.80 on the turf.

“Everything is good,” Biancone said via text. “He leaves at 5:30 tonight and should be at Churchill between 11 and 11:30 tomorrow morning.

STORM THE COURT – David Bernsen, Exline-Border Racing, Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson's Storm the Court worked six furlongs on his own in 1:12.80 with Austin Solis aboard over a fast track at Del Mar Saturday morning.

Trainer Peter Eurton gave the work a thumb's up via text with Storm the Court scheduled to ship to Louisville on Monday.

THOUSAND WORDS – Multiple graded stakes winner Thousand Words completed his final piece of serious work in advance of his trip to Louisville for the 146th Kentucky Derby, working five furlongs in :59.80 in company under the watch of trainer Bob Baffert at Del Mar Saturday.

The move was the second fastest of 44 works at the distance for the day and continued the pattern of improvement for the son of Pioneerof the Nile. The colt broke off several lengths behind Tapitution but went by his workmate on the gallop out, continuing on to cover a mile in 1:39 1/5 on Baffert's watch.

“Bob said it was great work, he was really happy,” said Jason Loutsch, racing manager for Albaugh Family Stables, which owns Thousand Words in partnership with Spendthrift Farm. “It looks like we're trying to teach him to sit back a little bit. He was right off the workmate, about 5 or 8 lengths, and that's probably going to be our style this week since there is a lot of speed in (the Kentucky Derby). I think there will be three or four horses up near the lead and hopefully we're in the second pack that sits behind them.”

Thousand Words comes into the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1 where he bested Grade 1 winner Honor A. P.  The bay colt opened his sophomore campaign with a victory in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and boasts and overall record of four wins from seven starts.

“He's one of these horses that is just steady,” Baffert said. “He's just a steady kind of horse. I think he'll be a threat. Both of them, Authentic and him, they're threats. When you see a horse like Tiz the Law, he looks like right now he'll be so tough to beat, but I'm happy right now the way they're coming in. They're coming in the right way and that's all you can ask for right now.”

Thousand Words and his stablemate Authentic are set to ship to Louisville on Monday August 31. Baffert said Authentic is slated to put in his last serious workout at Del Mar on Sunday.

TIZ THE LAW – Sackatoga Stable's Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law breezed five furlongs in :59.21 Saturday morning at Saratoga.

Tiz the Law, the multiple Grade I-winning son of Constitution, is scheduled to arrive in Louisville Monday evening at 5 o'clock.

“Everything went fine,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He came back well. It may have been a little faster than he needed to go but the track was very fast, too. It went perfect, he's a pleasure to train.”

WINNING IMPRESSION – West Point Thoroughbreds' and Pearl Racing's graded stakes placed Winning Impression had a regularly scheduled walk day Saturday following his five-furlong move in :59.20 Friday at Churchill Downs.

 

Likely starters in the 146th running of the $3 million, Grade I Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve to be run for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, Sept. 5 (in order of preference): Tiz the Law (jockey Manny Franco); Authentic (John Velazquez); Art Collector (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Honor A. P. (Mike Smith); Ny Traffic (Paco Lopez); King Guillermo (Samy Camacho); Thousand Words (Florent Geroux); Max Player (Ricardo Santana Jr.); Enforceable (Adam Beschizza); Major Fed (James Graham); Storm the Court (Julien Leparoux); Attachment Rate (Joe Talamo); Sole Volante (Luca Panici); Finnick the Fierce(Martin Garcia); Winning Impression (Joe Rocco Jr.); Necker Island (Miguel Mena); Money Moves (Javier Castellano). Possible: Rushie (TBA).

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