Pletcher Eyes Whitney For Happy Saver, Prepares Following Sea For Haskell

Hall of Fame Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver and Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti to finish third and fourth, respectively, in Saturday's Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Happy Saver, who bested Mystic Guide in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in October at Belmont, entered Saturday's test undefeated in five starts.

Leaving from the outermost post 6 in the Suburban under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Happy Saver tracked in fourth position, outside of Mystic Guide, as Moretti set the early splits.

Mystic Guide made a strong inside move into the turn but the four-wide Happy Saver failed to fire his best shot, closing to complete the trifecta as Max Player upset Mystic Guide by a neck.

“I thought Happy Saver ran well,” said Pletcher. “He was stuck wide the whole way around there from that post. It was a little bit of a tricky start but I thought he put in an honest effort. They both came back very well.”

Pletcher said he'll take some time to consider options, although the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Whitney Stakes on August 7 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. is a possibility.

“We'll see how he bounces out of it and consider the Whitney and the Jockey Club and play it by ear,” said Pletcher.

The Whitney offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.

A number of Pletcher stars were on the work tab Sunday at Belmont, including Spendthrift Farm's Following Sea, a Runhappy colt, who is pointed to the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 17 at Monmouth Park.

Following Sea breezed five-eighths in 1:00.80 over a dirt training track rated good.

“He breezed well and we're still on target for the Haskell,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, who worked a half-mile in :49.49 on the dirt training track, remains on target for the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies on July 24 at Saratoga

“She looked great. Everything is going smoothly with her,” said Pletcher.

Shadwell Stable's Mahaamel, who was slated to start in Monday's $250,000 Grade 3 Dwyer, was clocked in :49.90 on the dirt training track.

“We were thinking about the Dwyer and unfortunately he got a bit of a cough and knocked us off a breeze last week. We'll consider an allowance race for him,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher's potential starters in Saturday's Turf Triple series races breezed a half-mile Sunday on the dirt training track with Con Lima [:50.59] targeting the $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and CHC and WinStar Farm's Sainthood [:49.65] eyeing a turf debut in the $ 1 million Grade 1 Belmont Derby.

“They both breezed well and are on track for next weekend,” said Pletcher.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima is exiting a sharp win in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 on the Belmont turf, while Sainthood captured an off-the-turf edition of the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge on May 29.

“We were hoping to get that turf try in the Pennine Ridge but it ended up working out OK, so we'll find out next week,” said Pletcher.

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Pletcher Targets Suburban For Happy Saver, Haskell For Following Sea

Todd Pletcher worked a number of his top horses over the weekend, including undefeated Happy Saver who breezed in company with Country Grammer Sunday in preparation for Saturday's  $400,000 10-furlong Grade 2 Suburban Stakes for 4-year-olds and up on Saturday, July 3 at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny.

Belmont's Independence Day weekend slate runs July 3 through Monday, July 5, offering six stakes races including a pair of Breeders' Cup Win and You're In qualifiers led by the Grade 2 Suburban [Classic] and the $250,000 Grade 2 John A. Nerud [Sprint], which will see 4-year-olds and up contest at seven furlongs on July 4.

The holiday weekend kicks off July 3 with the $100,000 Perfect Sting Stakes and continues on July 4 with the $100,000 Manila Stakes, while the $250,000 Grade 3 Dwyer Stakes anchors a Monday, July 5 card that also offers the $150,000 Grand Couturier Stakes.

Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver, a 4-year-old Super Saver chestnut, completed his sophomore season by making the grade in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup with a three-quarter length win over Suburban-rival Mystic Guide in October at Belmont Park.

Happy Saver made his seasonal debut a winning one last out with a one-length score in an optional-claiming mile on May 28 on Big Sandy. At 7:45 a.m. Sunday, a rail-riding Happy Saver worked a half-mile in company with fellow Suburban contender Country Grammer in :49.26 on the Belmont dirt training track.

“I thought it was a good work from both. Happy Saver was just a little bit better at the end of the gallop out, but they both worked well,” said Pletcher. “We'll see how they bounce out of it. I'll talk to Elliott [Walden] at WinStar and talk about the Suburban potentially for Country Grammer. We'll firm that up tomorrow.”

Pletcher said Happy Saver's previous work – five-eighths in :59.40 on the dirt training track in company with Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti – was also impressive.

“We gave him a really solid five-eighths work last week with a big gallop out; that was the one we were looking for,” said Pletcher. “He is coming off just the one start and we're stretching him out to a mile and a quarter, so we wanted to get a good one into him last week.”

Moretti, who is also targeting the Suburban, worked a half-mile in 48.75 Saturday on the Belmont dirt training track.

“We breezed Moretti yesterday, and I think we're on target with him, so we could have as many as three in there,” said Pletcher.

A 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, out of the Grade 1-winning Concerto mare Rigoletta, Moretti is a half-brother to 2017 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile-winner Battle of Midway.

Last week, WinStar Farm's Country Grammer worked a half-mile in :49.05 on June 21 in company with Mahaamel on the Belmont training track.

Country Grammer, a 4-year-old Tonalist bay, captured the Grade 1 Gold Cup last out on May 31 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. He was recently transferred to Pletcher.

Pletcher said the change of work partners for Country Grammer was a matter of timing.

“I didn't want to work him too quickly after arriving and I wanted to space him out to get there, so that's just the way it worked out from the time he arrived,” said Pletcher.

In trying to separate a number of his top sophomores, Pletcher said Shadwell Stable's Mahaamel, an Into Mischief colt bred in Kentucky by Clarkland Farm, will target next Monday's one-turn mile G3 Dwyer, while Spendthrift Farm's Following Sea, a Runhappy colt, is pointed to the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on July 17 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.

“I think we'll go in the Dwyer with Mahaamel. He's going to breeze tomorrow and assuming we're happy with that, we'll go to the Dwyer with him,” said Pletcher. “I spoke to Ned Toffey at Spendthrift and we've decided we'll go to the Haskell with Following Sea.”

A $700,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Mahaamel earned a 99 Beyer with the addition of blinkers in his second-out graduation in a seven-furlong maiden special weight on June 4 at Belmont.

Following Sea earned a career-best 100 Beyer winning a 6 ½-furlong allowance sprint against older horses by 6 1/2-lengths on June 3 on Big Sandy.

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 1-winning 5-year-old Mind Control, recently transferred to Pletcher, worked a half-mile in :48.06 Sunday on the Belmont dirt training track in preparation for the John A. Nerud Stakes.

“He's been a terrific work horse since he came in,” said Pletcher. “We've been targeting this race for a while and he looks good. He's proven he's a really nice horse and he's trained the way you'd expect for a horse with his credentials. He seems like he's doing really well.”

Mind Control, a five-time graded-stakes winner for his former trainer Gregg Sacco, posted both of his Grade 1 wins at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, Ny., capturing the 2018 Hopeful Stakes as a juvenile and added the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes to conclude his sophomore season.

Pletcher said a good result in the Nerud could propel Mind Control to another Grade 1 engagement at Saratoga, with the $600,000 Forego Stakes, a seven-furlong test for older horses on August 28, a possibility.

“We'll see how he does in here, but something like the Forego could be on the radar,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said Donegal Racing's Shamrocket, a 4-year-old Tonalist colt, could return in the $150,000 Grand Couturier Stakes, a 12-furlong Widener turf test for older horses on July 5 at Belmont. Also under consideration is the 11-furlong Grade 1 United Nations on July 17 at Monmouth Park.

“The Grand Couturier is a possibility,” said Pletcher. “He'll work tomorrow. We've kicked around the United Nations a little bit or even an allowance race at Saratoga.”

Two starts back, Shamrocket closed to finish fourth in the Grade 1 Man o' War Stakes on May 8 at Belmont Park and returned last out to win a 10-furlong turf allowance by a neck on June 11 on the same course.

Repole Stable, Phipps Stable, and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One breezed five-eighths in 1:01.90 Friday on the Belmont dirt training track.

The Union Rags chestnut, who finished second in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York, Ny., finished 18th last out in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Pletcher said Dynamic One could point to the $120,000 Curlin Stakes, a nine-furlong test for sophomores on July 30 at Saratoga.

“He'll either go to an allowance race or the Curlin,” said Pletcher. “We gave him a little bit of time after the Derby and he's done really well physically and put on some weight. We've freshened him up with a couple of races at Saratoga in mind.”

St. Elias Stable's graded stakes winner Dr Post added blinkers for a half-mile breeze Friday in :49.42 on the Belmont dirt training track.

The Quality Road colt captured the Grade 3 Westchester in his seasonal debut on May 1 at Belmont and finished fifth last out in the Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on June 5.

“We put blinkers on him and I liked the response we got. I'm not sure where his next start will be, but it will be with the addition of blinkers,” said Pletcher.

Dr Post tracked a moderate pace from fifth in the Met Mile but wasn't able to make up ground in the stretch run as a more prominent Silver State pounced to a one-length score.

“He got too far back, and, for a race on paper that you thought would have a lot of pace, it never really developed,” said Pletcher. “He was starting to close into a pace-less race, but it just didn't work out.

“I've had blinkers in mind for a little while,” added Pletcher. “But when he won the Westchester off the layoff, I didn't want to make an equipment change. Now we can make that move.”

Pletcher saddled a pair of contenders in Con Lima and Jouster in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again Stakes for sophomore fillies on June 3 on the Belmont turf, a key prep for the 10-furlong  $700,000 Grade 1 Belmont Oaks, the first leg of the Turf Triple series for sophomore fillies on July 10.

Although sent to post as the longer price at 8-1, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima prevailed by a half-length, while the pacesetting Jouster settled for fourth for owners Starlight Racing and Glen Hill Farm.

Pletcher said the experienced Con Lima, who boasts a record of 11-6-4-0 with purse earnings of $379,865, showed more than enough to start the first leg of the Turf Triple.

“She's ultra-consistent. She shows up and runs hard every time,” said Pletcher. “I thought she handled the mile and an eighth really well and it gives us optimism that she'll handle the mile and a quarter.”

Pletcher said Jouster, who captured the one-mile Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes on April 3 at Keeneland, will point to the one-mile $150,000 Grade 3 Lake George Stakes on July 23 at Saratoga.

“She'll go the Lake George. She didn't quite see out the mile and an eighth, so we'll focus on shorter races,” said Pletcher. “That's why we wanted to go in the Wonder Again, to see if maybe we could stretch her out for these lucrative races at longer distances, but I think she's best at a mile.”

Lawana and Robert Low's Sweet Melania, a 4-year-old American Pharoah chestnut, breezed a half-mile in :50.97 on the Oklahoma training turf at Saratoga on Friday.

The multiple graded stakes winner captured last year's Grade 3 Wonder Again but has not raced since finishing last-of-9 in the License Fee Stakes on April 30 at Belmont.

Pletcher said Sweet Melania is under consideration for Saturday's $100,000 Perfect Sting Stakes, a one-mile Widener turf test for older fillies and mares.

“I've not firmly decided yet. I'm looking to see what options I have at Saratoga with her,” said Pletcher.

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Runhappy’s Following Sea Romps at Belmont

3rd-Belmont, $85,560, Alw, 6-3, (NW1$X), 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:15.28, gd, 6 1/2 lengths.

FOLLOWING SEA (c, 3, Runhappy–Quick Flip {SW}, by Speightstown) repeated his 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy graduation with a facile romp against allowance company at Belmont Friday. Disqualified from second and placed third on debut at Santa Anita Mar. 6, the Spendthrift homebred stormed home to a 5 3/4-length victory next out at Oaklawn Apr. 10, leading home a Runhappy one-two over next-out Hot Springs maiden romper Happymac. Pointed for Pimlico's GIII Chick Lang S. following that effort, he was withdrawn from consideration for that event and instead transferred from Bob Baffert to Todd Pletcher during Preakness week after the former's GI Kentucky Derby hero Medina Spirit (Protonico) tested positive for betamethasone. Hammered down to 4-5 favoritism in this field scratched down to four, Following Sea kept Wudda U Think Now (Fast Anna) honest from a close-up second through a swift first quarter in :22.03. Drawing even as he hit the half in :44.79, the bay dispatched his foe in early stretch and cruised clear with ease to win by 6 1/2 lengths. Following Sea's stakes-winning dam Quick Flip is a half-sister too SW & MGSP Qahira (Cairo Prince) and SW Stormin' Lyon (Storm Boot). Spendthrift purchased the mare with Following Sea in utero for $230,000 at the 2017 KEENOV sale. They bred her back to their super sire Into Mischief and the resulting filly, a 2-year-old named Gimmick, summoned $450,000 from Mike Ryan at the Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Sale. She failed to get in foal to Lord Nelson for 2020, but had a Hard Spun colt on St. Patrick's Day this year. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $115,520.Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O/B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

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June 3 Insights: Following Sea Goes First Out for Pletcher at Belmont

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

3rd-BEL, $92K, Alw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 4:09 p.m. ET

Spendthrift Farm made waves when it announced, following the failed drug test of GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico), that it would be moving some horses out of trainer Bob Baffert's barn. One of the most intriguing of those horses, 'TDN Rising Star' FOLLOWING SEA (Runhappy), will make his first start for the Todd Pletcher barn in this first-level allowance sprint early on Thursday's card. Unveiled at 9-10 Mar. 6 at Santa Anita, the homebred finished second and was later demoted to third for causing crowding early in the race. Shipped to Oaklawn for his next engagement Apr. 10, the bay dueled through a sizzling opening quarter, shook clear on the turn and never looked back, winning geared down by 5 3/4 lengths with a 97 Beyer. Since being sent to Pletcher, Following Sea shows a pair of sharp local works, including a half-mile bullet in :48 flat (1/78) over the training track May 28. His main competition on paper comes from another 'Rising Star' in Klaravich Stables' returning Reinvestment Risk (Upstart). Debuting with an impressive 7 3/4-length romp against a live-looking Saratoga maiden group last August, the $280,000 OBS March buy was runner-up to Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in both the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S. before closing his juvenile campaign with a disappointing 10th-place run in the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The Chad Brown trainee also breezed sharply here May 28, going a half-mile on the main track in :48 1/5 (4/86). TJCIS PPs

5th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2f, 5:13 p.m. ET

Courtlandt Farms went to $975,000 to secure AMERICAN PARADE (American Pharoah) at the 2019 Keeneland September Sale and the sophomore filly will make her career debut in this promising maiden heat Thursday at Belmont. The first foal out of her dam, a half-sister to Stage Magic (Ghostzapper), the dam of Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), she displays six Belmont breezes for trainer Shug McGaughey, punctuated by a four-furlong bullet in :47 1/5 (1/7) May 18. Made a narrow favorite on the morning line is another firster, My Racehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Lady Valentine (Into Mischief), who will break from the rail for Todd Pletcher following a sharp Saratoga worktab. Bought for $385,000 at KEESEP, she recorded a pair of :47 3/5 half-mile bullets at the Spa–a best-of-35 move May 7 and a best-of-20 move from the gate 13 days later. Her second dam is a half-sister to the late GISW and influential sire Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker). Also opening her account is Klaravich Stables' Equal Pay (Qualty Road). Herself a $475,000 KEESEP pickup, the Chad Brown pupil breezed a half-mile from the gate over this track in :48 3/5 (6/45) May 16. Of the horses with experience, After the Party (Into Mischief) stands a big chance. Yet another pricey KEESEP buy at $750,000, the Jeremiah Englehart charge was a solid third in her debut after dueling with next-out 'TDN Rising Star' Always Carina (Malibu Moon) debuting in the Aqueduct mud Apr. 11. The runner-up in that spot, Amendment Nineteen (Constitution), also returned towin impressively here Sunday. TJCIS PPs

6th-CD, $100K, Msw, 3yo/up, 7f, 7:25 p.m. ET

Blue-blooded Juddmonte homebred MAXIMUS AURELIUS (Tapit) will make his career bow in this elongated sprint on Thursday's twilight card at Churchill. The Bill Mott trainee is the second foal to race out of the brilliant MGISW Close Hatches (First Defence), following his multimillionaire full-brother Tacitus, and he got acquainted with this surface in a trio of local works, the swiftest of which was a half-mile spin in :48 2/5 (9/57) May 16. TJCIS PPs@JBiancaTDN

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