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Pletcher-Trained Belmont Stakes Trio Show Strong Gallop Outs In Friday Breezes

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sent a trio of Belmont Stakes contenders in Bourbonic, Known Agenda and Overtook to breeze on Big Sandy on Friday morning at Belmont Park.

Headlined by the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 5, this year's three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicks off on Thursday, June 3 and will include 17 stakes races in total, with eight Grade 1 races to be contested on Belmont Stakes Day.

Known Agenda, piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., worked outside of Grade 1 Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap contender Dr Post, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez up, covering five-eighths in 1:02.54 over the fast main track.

“I thought it was a good progressive breeze that should bring them both forward. In particular, I liked the way they galloped out,” said Pletcher. “I had them out in 1:14.4, 1:27.1 and 1:41 for the mile. I thought we accomplished what we were hoping to.”

Known Agenda, winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in March, worked without blinkers. Last out, after leaving the inside post in the Kentucky Derby, the Curlin chestnut closed from 17th to finish ninth.

“Sometimes he breezes with them, but we're saving them for the race,” said Pletcher. “Sometimes, you get a little more bang for your buck if you don't overuse them.”

Known Agenda was a maiden winner at second asking traveling nine furlongs in November at the Big A, and followed with a third in the Grade 2 Remsen in December at Aqueduct.

After finishing fifth in his seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs, Pletcher added blinkers to Known Agenda who promptly won an optional-claiming route on February 26 at Gulfstream by a widening 11 lengths ahead of his Florida Derby score.

Dr Post, owned by St. Elias Stable, hit the board in consecutive nine-furlong Grade 1s last summer when second to Tiz the Law in the Belmont Stakes and third in the Haskell won by Authentic by a nose over Ny Traffic at Monmouth Park.

The Quality Road bay launched his 4-year-old campaign with a prominent score in the Grade 3 Westchester traveling a one-turn mile at Belmont Park on May 1 that garnered a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure.

Pletcher said the colt has demonstrated star qualities.

“He certainly hinted at that last year,” said Pletcher. “He was a good second to Tiz the Law in the Belmont and an unlucky third in the Haskell, in my opinion, to Authentic. His form has certainly held up very well and the break that he got has served him well. He seems to be training as well as ever. I thought his comeback in the Westchester was good and should be a good prep for the Met Mile.”

The Met Mile, part of the loaded Belmont Stakes Day card, is a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in November at Del Mar.

Calumet Farm homebred Bourbonic, winner of the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April at the Big A, worked a half-mile in company with Overtook in 48.82.

Overtook, with Manny Franco in the irons, worked inside of Bourbonic, guided by exercise rider Hector Ramos.

“They went off a touch quick but finished steadily,” said Pletcher. “I particularly liked the way they galloped out. I had them out seven-eighths in 1:27 and 4. I was pleased.”

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith's Overtook graduated at third asking traveling a one-turn mile in December at the Big A. Following a closing second in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Withers in February at Aqueduct, the Curlin bay returned off the layoff to finish a flat third in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Peter Pan on May 8 on Big Sandy.

Pletcher said Overtook, a $1 million Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, should appreciate the added distance second time off the shelf.

“He's a steady, one-run kind of horse and the Peter Pan didn't develop with much pace. I thought considering that he actually ran pretty well,” said Pletcher. “I think having a race under his belt should help him. Of course, this will be a much more difficult task but he's well-bred for the distance and we're hoping that's the key for him having success.”

Bourbonic, a dark bay Bernardini colt, rallied last-to-first under Kendrick Carmouche at odds of 72-1 to notch a record upset in the nine-furlong Wood Memorial. Last out, the late-running bay exited the outermost post in the 19-horse Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and improved belatedly along the rail to finish 13th.

Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Rock Ridge Racing's Promise Keeper, a 2 1/4-length winner of the Peter Pan, worked a half-mile in 48.62 in company with multiple graded stakes winner Colonel Liam on Belmont's dirt training track.

Pletcher said Promise Keeper is likely to target the nine-furlong Grade 3, $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 26 at Thistledown, but will keep the Belmont Stakes under consideration.

“He was in company for a half-mile with Colonel Liam in 48 and change. I thought it was a good work,” said Pletcher. “It seems like he's maintained form since the Peter Pan. Right now we're leaning towards the Ohio Derby but we wanted to keep him in position to keep an eye on the Belmont. He worked well enough this morning that we'll continue to keep an eye on it.

“It would be interesting to try him a little further,” added Pletcher. “But right now the Ohio Derby seems to make sense.”

The 3-year-old Constitution colt, bred in Kentucky by co-owner Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds, entered the Peter Pan from a dominant 5 1/2-length score in a nine-furlong optional-claimer on April 8 at Keeneland.

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam is pointed to the Grade 1, $700,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, a 10-furlong turf test for older horses on Belmont Stakes Day.

The 4-year-old Liam's Map gray is on a four-race win streak that includes scores in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational in January at Gulfstream, the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic in March at Fair Grounds and the Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Earlier this week, Shadwell Stable announced they would bypass the chance to compete against males in the Belmont Stakes with undefeated Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat and instead focus on a pair of Grade 1 targets at Saratoga in the nine-furlong $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 and the 10-furlong $600,000 Alabama on August 21.

The Curlin bay, out of Grade 1-winner Dreaming of Julia, captured the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland in her seasonal debut ahead of a neck score over Search Results in the Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

“She had two good races four weeks apart,” said Pletcher. “Looking at the long term plans, she'd just lost a little weight doing that. We felt while it would certainly be intriguing, and from a talent standpoint she fits with the colts, it just felt a little risky going into the Belmont and if it was a hard race on her we could have potentially lost a couple opportunities with her this summer.”

Pletcher said Malathaat, who completed her juvenile campaign with a Grade 2 Demoiselle win in December at Aqueduct, is a special talent.

“She's a terrific filly to train. She's very intelligent and she obviously has loads of talent on top of it,” said Pletcher. “She galloped super this morning. She looks well and is eating well.”

WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Sainthood finished 11th last out in the Kentucky Derby. The dark bay son of Mshawish, out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Hero, worked a half-mile in 49.09 last Sunday on the Belmont inner turf.

Pletcher said Sainthood will breeze again on turf this weekend with an eye to a grass debut in the nine-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge on May 29.

“I thought he breezed well on the grass,” said Pletcher. “We'll take him back out there tomorrow for one more turf work. Given his pedigree, we had the turf in mind all along.”

Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One, runner-up in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial, finished 18th in the Grade 2 Kentucky Derby last out.

Pletcher said Dynamic One will likely make his return to racing action at Saratoga.

“He'll probably have his first breeze next week and would most likely have his next start at Saratoga,” said Pletcher. “We just want to freshen him up a little bit after the Derby.”

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Red Ghost Wins Head Bob Battle Over Euphoric In Miss Preakness Stakes

Horse racing loves a comeback story, and Red Ghost was a tweet-length version of just that on Friday afternoon in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes, sneaking a nose ahead at the wire after appearing to be defeated.

The 3-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper was hurried out of the gate by jockey John Velazquez, and was challenged on the inside by Abrogate, who tumbled rider Ricardo Santana Jr. out of the back of the starting gate prior to the start of the race.

As Abrogate faded, Euphoric moved up to challenge Red Ghost on her outside, after taking a sharp left turn out of the gate. Those two were practically even after the opening quarter, clocked in :22.88 seconds, and they remained head-to-head as they entered the turn.

Euphoric got a head in front throughout the turn, and carried that small advantage through a half-mile in :45.80 seconds under jockey Javier Castellano. Meanwhile, Joyful Cadence began to approach the lead duo on the far outside, and she entered contention with about a furlong to go.

This set up a hardscrabble three-way battle in the deep stretch, but it was one that it appeared Red Ghost was not going to win. Euphoric fought doggedly against Joyful Cadence on her outside, and it appeared that Euphoric would have enough to stave off that rival. But, Velazquez continued to grind from the rail, and got into head-bob contention with the leader.

The lead changed with each stride, but Red Ghost managed to have her neck out at the right time when the finish line went by. She finished a nose ahead of Euphoric, who was a neck in front of Joyful Cadence. Then, it was three lengths back to Juror Number Four in fourth.

Red Ghost stopped the clock in 1:10.53 in the six-furlong race over a fast main track. She paid $6.20 to win as the 2.10-to-one post time favorite.

Friday's Miss Preakness was a successful step-up for Red Ghost, who made her graded stakes debut after winning a six-furlong Keeneland allowance by two lengths on April 16. Her earnings now total $182,200.

It was her third career victory, after also winning on debut in a off-the-turf maiden race at Saratoga Race Course. Her only career defeat came in her lone try on turf in the Untapable Stakes last September at Churchill Downs.

Red Ghost races as a homebred for Douglas Scharbauer, and she is trained by Wesley Ward. She is out of the Elusive Quality mare Better Than Most.

After the field crossed the line, there was a fairly lengthy jockey's objection lodged by Xavier Perez abiard Street Lute against Castellano and Euphoric, after the Euphoric ducked in at the break and appeared to cut off multiple competitors. However, the stewards elected to leave the result unchanged.

To view the race chart, click here.

$150,000 Miss Preakness (G3) Quotes

David Flores, Assistant to Winning Trainer Wesley Ward (Red Ghost): “John [Velazquez] said she was backing up a little bit when the horses went by her. When he got after her she looked like she was not done. He felt like he had horse. She is very competitive and she was able to make a comeback.”

Winning Jockey John Velazquez (Red Ghost): “She got passed, almost a length. She was looking to the inside and the other horses passed her. She didn't even care. She kept looking to the inside and leaning out and I got after her. I got after her at the three-sixteenths pole and she came back.”

Jockey Javier Castellano (Euphoric; 2^nd): “I had a good trip. I thought I was going to win. To be honest with you, I thought I won the race. You never know. Unfortunately, I lost the bob. I saw [winner Red Ghost] coming back on the inside, but there is nothing that you can do. [John Velazquez]was already there. I just got beat. She ran really well, I am disappointed we lost but very satisfied with the way she did it. She ran a great race.”

Trainer John Ortiz (Joyful Cadence; 3^rd): “Tough beat, but I couldn't be any more proud of what she did today. She showed guts. Her last stakes race (second in the Purple Martin at Oaklawn) we saw that she had a little fight. Today, I thought we were the winner. She's still learning. When she got in front, she probably waited up a little bit and got just a little tired. But she ran a heck of a race for sure.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. (Joyful Cadence; 3^rd): “She got the perfect trip, can't complain, no excuses. She just got beat. Once she got the lead, she thought it was over. She was looking around a little bit but no excuses.”

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Velazquez Pilots Spice Is Nice To Confident Win In Allaire DuPont

Jockey John Velazquez hoped Friday's Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Stakes would signal good fortune to come as he guided Spice Is Nice to a confident victory on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard. The Todd Pletcher trainee came out of the gate easily in the 1 1/8-mile contest and Velazquez later said he would have been happy to sit third or fourth, but found himself tucked in next to early leader Dreamalildreamofu so he allowed his mount to stay where she seemed happy. Spice Is Nice remained comfortable on the outside of her rival and got a nose out in front on the turn. Dreamalildreamofu did not give up easily, fighting back through the turn and throughout the stretch, while both turned away a brief bid by closing long shot Landing Zone.

The final time was 1:48.71.

Dreamalildreamofu held on for second, while Getridofwhatailesu was third. Horologist, who was the 8-5 favorite, was fourth.

See the full chart here.

Spice Is Nice went off at odds of 2-1 and paid $6.60 to win.

The race is the first graded stakes win for the 4-year-old, who is owned by Robert and Lawana Low. The chestnut came to the race off an allowance/optional claimer win at Keeneland on April 9. She was bred in Kentucky by B Flay Thoroughbreds and is the daughter of Curlin and Bernardini mare Dame Dorothy. The filly was sold as a yearling at Keeneland September for $1.05 million to the Lows and West Bloodstock, having been consigned by Stone Farm.

The fractional times were :23.54, :47.62, 1:11.15, and 1:35.93.

$150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3) Quotes, courtesy Pimlico press office

Winning trainer Todd Pletcher (Spice is Nice): “She's a filly we've always thought a lot of. I trained her mother. She's a big strong filly that took a little time to get it all together. After the Alabama last year, she just lost some weight and we needed to regroup and gave her some time off. It seems like it has paid dividends. She's come back, put on some weight. We had a perfect prep race back and felt like this was good timing and knew she would handle the mile and an eighth.

“When she came by the wire the first time I was very happy. We weren't exactly sure who all was going to show some speed. Our main focus was just getting her away in good order and getting her into a good rhythm. When she does that she's very effective.”

Winning jockey John Velazquez (Spice Is Nice): “We talked about it with Todd. There didn't seem like a lot of speed. [Trainer Shug] McGaughey's filly (#6 Mrs. Danvers) showed a little speed but not on a fast pace. So does the [Trainer Bill] Mott filly (#5 Horologist). The only horse that showed a little speed was the horse inside who had the lead going into the first turn. So we thought we might as well come out of there running and get a position. And if those two horses go, we can sit third or fourth and I ended up having the lead by the time we got to the backstretch. She was doing it comfortably, so I was pleased the way she was doing it. She's not used to being that close and then on the lead. She was waiting for the competition to come to her. So she kind of fooled with the horse inside of her, but she was waiting.”

“We always liked this filly since she was very young. She's a big filly. She's kind of come back better this year. She's stronger mentally and kind of put it all together.”

Trainer Brad Cox (Dreamalildreamofu, 2^nd); Getridofwhatailesu, 3^rd): “I super-pleased with the effort [of Dreamalildreamofu]. She kind of got pressed a little ways around but she stayed on well. I'm really proud of her.

“[Getridofwhatailesu] ran well, too. She rallied for third. She was last, stayed down on the inside, then came running to finish well.”

Jockey Florent Geroux (Dreamalildreamofu, 2^nd): “She ran a big race. It set up with nice honest fractions. The winner was right next to us. It looked like she was trying to come back on her at the eighth pole. The winner was just the best filly down the lane.

“She won very easy in New Orleans. Usually when you win by that many lengths (9 ¼) you're hoping for big things. She won the last time on the synthetic. Stakes winner, graded stakes-placed. I'm sure the connections are happy. She ran hard down the lane, but the winner was just a little bit better today.”

Jockey Junior Alvarado (Horologist, beaten favorite; 4^th): “I had a great trip, right where I wanted to be. One thing I just found out today is she doesn't want to be covered up. The couple times I have won on her she's been outside in the clear. When she was covered up like that she dropped the bridle and after that and didn't really take me through. It was a great trip but she doesn't want to be inside covered up.”

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Malathaat Records First Breeze At Belmont Park Since Winning Kentucky Oaks

Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat recorded her first breeze since capturing the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks with a half-mile move on Thursday morning over the Belmont Park main track for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Under mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60s at the Elmont, N.Y., track, the daughter of Curlin out of Grade 1-winner Dreaming of Julia travelled the four-furlong distance in 49.89 over a fast main track under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez in company with stablemate and fellow Shadwell color bearer Mahaamel.

“She breezed well,” said Pletcher's assistant trainer Byron Hughes. “Johnny worked her and was happy with the way she went. We had her in company with Mahaamel and they both went head-and-head and both looked good. We just wanted her moving well and doing it well within herself and she accomplished all of that.”

Undefeated in five starts, Malathaat gave Velazquez his 2,000th Belmont Park victory in her debut last October before notching stakes wins in the Tempted and Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct. She parlayed her winning form into her sophomore campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland.

Mahaamel, by Into Mischief and out of the graded stakes winning Bustin Stones mare Hot Stones, earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure in her runner-up effort to First Captain in her April 24 debut sprinting seven furlongs on Big Sandy. She was purchased for $700,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

A next start for Malathaat has still yet to be decided.

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