Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Insights: Pletcher Sends out Noteworthy Runners on Both Florida Coasts

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

3rd-GP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 12:58 p.m. ET
Todd Pletcher-trained Native Thunder (American Pharoah) is one of a trio of well-bred sophomores who makes their debuts here. Out of 2002 GI Del Mar Debutante S. heroine Miss Houdini (Belong to Me), the $200,000 Keeneland September yearling is half to MGSW millionaire Papa Clem (Smart Strike) and Ce Ce (Elusive Quality), last year's GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint winner and an Eclipse Award finalist. There's some turf in the Lazy F Ranch colorbearer's family as well: another stakes-placed female out of Miss Houdini produced Grade III-winning grasser Hot Springs (Uncle Mo); a full-sister to Ce Ce was stakes-placed on the turf; and MGISW second dam Magical Maiden (Lord Avie) was also the granddam of a Group 2 winner/Group 1-placed runner in Europe.

Chad Brown and Peter Brant sent out Salimah (Ire) (El Kabeir) to become her sire's first U.S. winner and earn 'TDN Rising Star' status last Saturday at Tampa, and will be represented by another of the now Irish-based 2014 GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. winner's progeny in fellow Tattersalls October purchase (125,000gns) Egyptian God (Ire). The grey's dam is a full to precocious Group 2 winner Alhebayeb (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

Stuart Janney III homebred Celestial City (Uncle Mo) is out of a half to Hymn Book (Arch), who won 2012 GI Donn H. here. This is also the family of Grade I-winning turf miler Data Link (War Front). TJCIS PPs

6th-TAM, $34K, Alw/OC, 3yo, 1m70yds, 2:43 p.m. ET
'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready), currently in the fifth spot on T.D. Thornton's GI Kentucky Derby Top 12 rankings, will take on a competitive-enough bunch as he looks to build on a 6 3/4-length debut romp going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Dec. 11. The $350,000 KEESEP yearling from the family of globetrotting MG1SW Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity hero Free Drop Billy (Union Rags) was entered in a similar spot here Jan. 7, but was forced to scratch after spiking a temperature.

Pletcher will also be represented by In the Union (Union Rags), an apparent private purchase before he ran by Mathis Stable from Shadwell Farm. The grandson of GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf heroine Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) won first out here Jan. 8.

D J Stable's Glider (Quality Road) enters off a convincing second-out success over the Gulfstream Tapeta Jan. 6 that earned him the same 78 Beyer Speed Figure that Emmanuel did in his maiden breaker. The $200,000 KEESEP acquisition is half to MGSW turf sprinter Fast Boat (City Zip). He'll be representing the same Mark Casse barn whose Golden Glider (Ghostzapper) beat Boitano (Nyquist) and Cloud Play (Into Mischief) in that Jan. 7 race Emmanuel scratched from. TJCIS PPs

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Weekend Lineup Presented By DRFBets: Heavyweights Take Flight At Gulfstream

The Breeders' Cup winners showdown between Knicks Go and Life is Good in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup is the highlight of this weekend's graded stakes action. The 1 1/8-mile showdown is the centerpiece of a seven-stakes card at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, which also features the G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf in which 2021 winner Colonel Liam will attempt to defend his title off a lengthy layoff.

Also on Saturday, Kentucky Derby points are on the line at Oaklawn Park as Smarty Jones winner Dash Attack takes on undefeated California shipper Newgrange in the G3 Southwest Stakes.

Sunday's action is highlighted by the Houston Ladies Classic card at Sam Houston Race Park, as well as the G2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Saturday

3:03 PM – G2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Emotions ran high after last year's $200,000 Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream Park, when durable mare Pacific Gale ended a 17-race losing streak with her first graded triumph for the widow of one of trainer John Kimmel's longest clients, who passed away just a month before.

It could be a similarly emotional afternoon Saturday when the 7-year-old Pacific Gale returns to Gulfstream with a chance to defend her title in what will be the final start of a long and successful career.

Kimmel said Holly Hill Stables' Pacific Gale will be bred to champion Uncle Mo following the Inside Information, a race she won by 2 ¾ lengths at odds of 16-1 last winter after finishing sixth in 2019. Pacific Gale was booked to Not This Time for 2021, but was doing so well that Kimmel convinced the late Mike Morton's widow, Tobey, to give her another try.

Inside Information Entries

3:36 PM – G3 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park

Fully recovered from a career-threatening injury that cost her all of 2020, Shifty She, with her distinctive name and background, is ready for a stern test Saturday in the inaugural running of the TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Presented by PEPSI (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Peter Brant's Grade 1 winner Regal Glory, trained by Chad Brown, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/16 miles turf test that drew a field of 11 stakes runners. Regal Glory will start from Post No. 4 with jockey Jose Ortiz. The lineup includes Robert amd Lawana Low's Sweet Melania, who edged Shifty She in the Suwannee River (G3) on Dec. 18, and Team Valor's Irish-bred Wakanaka, who will make her U.S. debut.

The $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf is the newest addition to Gulfstream Park's program of seven graded stakes topped by the sixth running of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) present by 1/ST Bet.

Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Entries

4:49 PM – G1 Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam, thrilling winner of last year's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) in his graded-stakes debut, will end a 239-day gap between starts as he launches his comeback while attempting to defend his title in the richest turf race of the winter Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Colonel Liam will become one of only five horses to run in the Pegasus Turf more than once, a group led by California-based Next Shares, who took part in each of the first three editions. Cross Border, third behind Colonel Liam and Pletcher-trained stablemate Largent last year, as well as Sacred Life and Channel Cat, respectively fourth and 10th in 2020, also return this year.

During Tuesday's post-position draw inside Gulfstream's Sport of Kings Theater, Colonel Liam was made the narrow 3-1 favorite among 11 stakes winners, nine of them graded, including fellow Grade 1 winners Channel Cat and Hit the Road. Second choice on the morning line at 7-2 is stablemate Never Surprised, with Sacred Life (6-1) and Hit the Road (8-1) the others listed at single-digit odds.

Pegasus Turf Entries

5:22 PM – G3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park

Trainer Bob Baffert has the 2-1 program favorite in unbeaten Newgrange (2 for 2) for Oaklawn Park's second Kentucky Derby points race, this Saturday's $250,000 Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds. Baffert bids for a record-tying fifth victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Southwest, now worth $750,000 as well as 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

he 1 1/16-mile Southwest will mark the first start outside California for Newgrange, who exits a front-running victory in the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) at one mile Jan. 1 at Santa Anita. (Baffert trainees are not eligible for Kentucky Derby points, due to a ban by Churchill Downs.)

Oaklawn conducted its first Kentucky Derby points race New Year's Day, with the Kenny McPeek-trained Dash Attack splashing home to a two-length victory in the $250,000 Smarty Jones at 1 mile.

Six other Smarty Jones starters are entered in the Southwest, which goes as the ninth of 11 races. Racing begins Saturday at 12:02 p.m. (Central), with probable post for the Southwest 4:22 p.m.

Southwest Entries

5:34 PM – Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park

Knicks Go has returned to Gulfstream Park for a highly anticipated title defense in Saturday's $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), which promises to provide Korea Racing Authority's Thoroughbred star with an opportunity to close out a remarkable racing career in style.

Knicks Go, who was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine older horses after drawing the No. 1 post position, produced a dazzling 2 ¾-length victory in last year's Pegasus World Cup that would set the tone for a dominating campaign that is widely expected to earn him the 2021 Horse of the Year title next month. The 6-year-old son of Paynter, who is coming off an impressive 2 ¾-length triumph in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar, is riding a spectacular four-race winning streak in which he has beaten his opponents by a total off 21 ½ lengths while flashing his brilliant natural speed from start to finish. Knicks Go was named the 2021 Longines World' Best Racehorse during a virtual ceremony Tuesday at the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England.

It remains to be seen if the Brad Cox trainee will be able to defend his title in his usual front-running fashion before starting his stallion career. This year's Pegasus World Cup has also attracted CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC's Life Is Good, who has won six of seven career starts from gate to wire, including a scintillating 5 ¾-length victory in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Del Mar.

Life Is Good, who was rated second at 7-5 in the morning line after drawing the No. 4 post position, was top rated on last year's Road to the Kentucky Derby when he won his first three starts on the front end impressively but was sent to the sidelines with an injury. After being transferred to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, the son of Into Mischief was upset by Jackie's Warrior by a head in the seven-furlong Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga in late August. He came back to capture the one-mile Kelso (G2) at Belmont by 5 ½ lengths and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in front-running style.

Pegasus Entries

Sunday

5:53 PM – G3 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston

Now in its tenth running, the Houston Ladies Classic, at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, has been a springboard for top older fillies and mares The purse was boosted to $400,000 this year (from $300,000) in its previous editions and Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen will go for his third victory with Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl. The filly by Tapit out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, drew post position three with Joel Rosario riding the 6-5 morning line favorite. He and Asmussen have teamed successfully of late; Rosario guided La Crete to victory in Saturday's Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds.

The Mary Rose, bred and owned in Arkansas, by Shortleaf Stable, Inc, will ship to Houston from Oaklawn Park on Thursday, according to her trainer John Alexander Ortiz. He has conditioned the 5-year-old Macho Uno mare since last summer, with four on the board placings in five starts. She finished her 2021 season with an impressive seven-length score in a $50,000 allowance at Oaklawn Park on Dec. 31.

Houston Ladies Classic Entries

6:23 PM – G3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston

Trainer Mike Maker has won seven of the past ten editions of the mile and one-half stakes which is run on the Connally Turf Course, named for the late Texas Governor John B. Connally. The esteemed conditioner will saddle three entrants, with a fourth possibility if Shady McGee draws in from the also-eligible list.

Maker's runners this year will include 2021 Connally runner-up, Ajourneytofreedom, who drew post position 11 at odds of 7-2. Owned by Paradise Farm Corp. and David Staudacher, the 5-year-old son of Hard Spun, will be making his 23rd career start. The bay gelding exits the H. Allen Jerkens, a 2-mile feature at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 24. Nationally prominent rider Joel Rosario, who was aboard in the G2 Jockey Gold Cup last June at Belmont Park, has the call.

Connally Entries

TBA – G2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita

At the top of his game at age seven, trainer Phil D'Amato's venerable gelding Say the Word, fresh off a big come from behind victory in his most recent start, heads a compact field of six older horses going a mile and one quarter on turf in Sunday's Grade 2, $225,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Third to Say the Word in the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup Nov. 26, Friar's Road came up a nose short as the 3-5 favorite in the G3 San Gabriel Stakes here on Dec. 26 and will hope for better luck going an extra furlong.

Irish-bred Lincoln Hawk, although trying graded stakes competition for the first time since running a close fifth at 28-1 five starts back in the G2 Del Mar Derby, could certainly qualify as a “now” horse as he comes off an impressive allowance tally over the course at a mile and one eighth.

With a short field and what appears to be a dearth of front-running speed, eight-year-old Acclimate, a highly accomplished California-bred gelding, could be long gone on the San Marcos lead.

Throw in San Gabriel winner Bob and Jackie, who will be tasked with keeping Acclimate busy early, and the San Marcos looks to be very competitive affair.

San Marcos Entries

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‘Colonel’ Looks for Pegasus Turf Repeat

As is the case in the day's feature event on the main track, Gulfstream's GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational highlights a returning champion in the form of Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map). Following a neck win in the 2021 renewal of the nine-furlong test, the Todd Pletcher trainee added a win in the GII Muniz Memorial Classic at the Fair Grounds in March before finishing on even terms with Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in May. In his latest start, he finished eighth in the 10-furlong GI Manhattan S. at Belmont June 5.

“He seems to look good and energetic coming into this,” confirmed Pletcher. “Is he going to be ready to fire his best shot off the lengthy layoff? But every indication he is he's ready.”

A winner of this race in 2019 with ultimate Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, Chad Brown is represented by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Mike Caruso's Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Fourth in this race last year, the French-bred won the GIII Knickerbocker S. last October before finishing a head back in second behind the re-opposing Field Pass (Lemon Drop Kid) in Del Mar's GII Seabiscuit S. Nov. 27. Jose Ortiz gets back aboard.

D K Racing, Radley Equine Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski and Dave Odmark's Hit the Road (More Than Ready) reeled off four consecutive wins between May 2020 and March 2021, including Santa Anita's GIII Thunder Road S. and the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile in March. He is coming off back-to-back thirds in the GII Del Mar Mile in August and GII City of Hope Mile Oct. 2. The 5-year-old was purchased by trainer Dan Blacker and Australian bloodstock agent Craig 'Boomer' Rounsefell after he RNA'd for $200,000 at Keeneland September.

“He's the best horse I've ever trained,” said Blacker. “Hopefully, there'll be more like him to come, but, he's a really special horse. It meant a lot that myself and Craig Rounsefell bought him ourselves at the sale and watched him develop into a great horse. I always had a confidence that he could be a top-level horse, but you never know. To have him go and win a Grade I, it was more than I could have hoped for, a real thrill. I'm just thankful to the owners to give me the chance to buy horses like him.”

Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm offers a two-pronged attack with Cross Border (English Channel) and the aforementioned Field Pass. Their trainer Mike Maker, who won this race with Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire}) in 2020, is also represented this year by Jordan Wycoff's Atone (Into Mischief) and Mike and Jules Iavarone, Abbondanza Racing and Donald Durando's Flavius (War Front).

Cross Border, winner of the GII Bowling Green S. at Saratoga in July, took the Prairie Bayou S. over Turfway Park's all-weather surface Dec. 18. Winless with a second and two thirds over Gulfstream's turf, Cross Border gets the services of Reylu Gutierrez from post 11.

Victorious in the GIII Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup in July, Field Pass later finished runner up in the Knickerbocker before taking the Seabiscuit. He won in his only previous try over Gulfstream's grass course in the 2020 Dania Beach S. Umberto Rispoli rides from post 9.

Joseph Allen's homebred Doswell (Giant's Causeway), runner up in the 2020 edition of the GII Ft Lauderdale S., finished third in his next three starts, including the GIII W. L. McKnight S., also at this venue. Sent off a 9-2 while trying to go one better in last month's Ft. Lauderdale, he went wire-to-wire to score by 1 1/2 lengths over Atone Dec. 18.

“He came out really, really well,” said trainer Barclay Tagg. “Not a blemish on him. He's happy, eating well and he hasn't missed a breeze since. We feel good about him. If he can get to where he can relax and be up close, then I think it'll work out fine.”

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Titans Square off in Pegasus World Cup

When a racetrack musters a $3-million purse for a featured event, the hope is that racing's stars will attend the big dance. And this year's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. certainly succeeded in attracting two of the biggest names–Knicks Go (Paynter) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief)–in the American handicap division.

Knicks Go, a 2 3/4-length winner in last year's Pegasus World Cup, finished fourth in the G1 Saudi Cup and GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. before reeling off four-straight wins, including the GI Whitney S. and in his latest race, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6. Knicks Go was named the 2021 Longines World' Best Racehorse during a virtual ceremony at the National Horse Racing Museum in Newmarket, England Tuesday.

“The Breeders' Cup Classic was his biggest race he's had to date,” said trainer Brad Cox. “He's going to go to Taylor Made after the Pegasus to become a stallion. After the Classic, we had decided if he came out of the race in good order, which he did, we would pursue the Pegasus. He has trained as well as he did going into the Classic.”

He continued, “After the [Saudi Cup] last year, he was fresh and came back and didn't run as well as we had hoped in the Met Mile. Personally, I think that had a lot to do with that race being around one turn. He has not had a lot of time off, and that's very similar to what we did with the [2020 GI Breeders' Cup] Dirt Mile and last year's Pegasus. So, we have pretty much kept him on the same routine. He went over to Taylor Made for three to four days to be shown to potential breeders and was shown on a shank. Aside from that, he's been training the whole time. He's been doing well, his weight is great and his attitude is good. And he's been training great and his works have been phenomenal.”

The striking grey was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine older horses after drawing the one hole Tuesday. Joel Rosario has the call.

“We're not really going to deviate from what we've done in the past,” affirmed Cox. “[Life Is Good] is a very fast, brilliant horse. We're not going to let him have his own way, and I think he's probably not going to let us have our own way. We're going to break running, hopefully, get to the lead. We're going to be very aggressive to get him there.”

He added, “It's the same approach we took in the Breeders' Cup. We'll see how it goes. He's proven at a mile and an eighth and he does like the surface there. He likes the configuration of the racetrack there at Gulfstream–he proved that last year. We're just going to come out of there running and see what happens.”

China Horse Club and WinStar Farm are represented by Life Is Good, who has done very little wrong in his career, winning four of five graded attempts, including a tour-de-force victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November. Under the guidance of Bob Baffert, the powerful bay became a 'TDN Rising Star' with a 9 1/2-length score at Del Mar in the fall of 2020 before returning the following spring to annex the GIII Sham S. and GII San Felipe S.–defeating subsequent GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protanico) on both of those occasions.

“He came to us with high expectations, and he had a great resume,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of Life Is Good's arrival. “Initially, we were just getting to know him and see how he trains. He trained exceptionally well, so we had high hopes for him.”

After joining the Pletcher string, the $525,000 KEESEP yearling graduate came up a neck short to Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga. With Irad Ortiz Jr. taking over riding duties for the Sept. 25 GII Kelso H. at Belmont, the sophomore drubbed older rivals for the first time to win by 5 1/2 lengths and came back with an even more sparkling performance when winning for fun on Breeders' Cup Day.

“We were unlucky in the Allen Jerkens to be beaten that day, but we mapped out a course at that point and we felt like the Dirt Mile was the correct race for him,” explained Pletcher. “The Kelso seemed like a good race to bridge the gap between the Jerkens and the Dirt Mile and I worked out well for him. Since that, we've been focused on this race. And we're going great.

“Knicks Go is a very fast horse. We know that. But we're not going to alter our style of running. And we're not going to take away his strength, which is his high-cruising speed. I honestly don't know for sure what's going to happen, at least in the first quarter or half, because you are going to have two horses that are looking for the same kind of trip.”

Hoping to pick up the pieces should a speed duel develop up front, 2019 GI Belmont S. victor Sir Winston (Awesome Again) enters the fray off a win in Woodbine's 12-furlong GIII Valedictory S. Dec. 5. Edwin Gonzalez gets the mount for trainer Mark Casse. Also likely to settle just off the pace and hope for a meltdown up front, Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) has hit the board in five of seven stakes races in 2021, including a win in the Iowa Derby and a second in the GI Awesome Again S. He was last seen finishing third in the seven-furlong GI Malibu S. Dec. 26.

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