Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Undefeated Happy Saver, Dubai World Cup Winner Mystic Guide Top Saturday’s Suburban

Wertheimer and Frere homebred Happy Saver puts his undefeated record on the line in Saturday's Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban, a 10-furlong test for 4-year-olds and up at Belmont Park.

The 135th renewal of the Suburban, which is a “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar, will be televised live on NBC as part of a show airing from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.

The Suburban will feature the one-two finishers of October's Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup won by Happy Saver by three-quarters of a length over Godolphin homebred Mystic Guide, who enters from a win in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan.

A rail-riding Happy Saver, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, tracked Tacitus from third position with Mystic Guide to his outside in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, contested over a fast Belmont main track.

Mystic Guide moved outside of the pacesetter late in the turn as Happy Saver waited for racing room behind rivals that finally emerged when Tacitus came off the rail on the turn for home. Mystic Guide put a nose in front inside the final eighth, but Happy Saver squeezed up the rail to secure the win.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver won four starts in his sophomore season, including the Federico Tesio in September at Laurel Park. The Super Saver chestnut launched his 4-year-old campaign on May 28 with a one-length score in an optional-claiming mile on Big Sandy.

Pletcher said Happy Saver, who worked a half-mile in 49.26 seconds Sunday on the Belmont dirt training track, has returned bigger and better as a 4-year-old.

“I think as an older horse he's a little more laid back in some of his works. He always performs well and he's really filled out and matured,” said Pletcher, who won the 2017 Suburban with Keen Ice.

Pletcher said the stretch out in distance will suit Happy Saver.

“For the way he ran in the Jockey Club Gold Cup last year, he's proven he likes that distance and that race looks even stronger now with what Mystic Guide has done,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher will also saddle Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Moretti.

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.

The consistent bay, who sports a record of 12-4-4-2 with purse earnings of $304,150, launched his current campaign with an even third in the Grade 2 Brooklyn presented by Northwell Health on Belmont Stakes Day.

Last June, Moretti captured the 11-furlong Flat Out over a sloppy Belmont main track by 5 1/4-lengths ahead of a distant second to Tacitus in last year's Suburban. He completed 2020 with a 1 1/2-length win in the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone in August at Saratoga, a title Pletcher said Moretti will have a chance to retain on August 5.

“The further the better for him,” said Pletcher. “He ran OK in here last year and this would be a nice bridge to the Birdstone to try and defend his title there.”

Ortiz, Jr. retains the mount on Happy Saver from post 6, while Flavien Prat picks up the mount on Moretti from the inside post.

Mystic Guide, trained by Mike Stidham, will be making his first appearance since capturing the Dubai World Cup on March 27 at Meydan.

The Ghostzapper chestnut, out of the multiple Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Music Note, made the grade in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy in September at Saratoga ahead of his runner-up effort to Suburban rival Happy Saver in the Jockey Club Gold Cup to close out his sophomore season.

Mystic Guide, who has paired with Belmont Stakes-winning rider Luis Saez for his two starts this season, opened his current campaign in impressive fashion with a six-length win in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on a sloppy track on February 27 at Oaklawn Park, garnering a career-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Obviously, we don't really know how much the sloppy track played into that number,” said Stidham. “He came back in the Dubai World Cup and made the number look like it was real, which was good. We've given him plenty of time and he's had three months since that race to bounce back. Looking at him train and his weight and his coat, he's an absolute picture right now.”

Stidham said Mystic Guide will need to improve to turn the tables on Happy Saver.

“He needs to be faster. The bottom line is that they're both very good horses,” said Stidham. “I'm not taking anything for granted. I know Happy Saver has never been beaten and it won't be an easy race for us. I just hope we have the best horse.”

Stidham said Saez, who will pilot Mystic Guide from post 4, could be a difference maker on Saturday.

“Luis has ridden him in both races this year and he has a tremendous amount of confidence in the horse and that will play a big part,” said Stidham. “I couldn't ask to have a more talented rider on him. We have things set up for as good an effort as he's ready for.”

Informative, trained by Uriah St. Lewis for his family's Trin-Brook Stables, enters from a last-to-first score in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile at odds of 79-1 on June 12 at Monmouth Park.

The 4-year-old Bodemeister chestnut has racked up 25 career starts with three wins and three seconds, and picked up his first graded black type last out when besting Ny Traffic by one-length, garnering a career-best 99 Beyer.
Manny Franco has the call from post 2.

William L. Clifton, Jr.'s multiple graded stakes placed Prioritize, a 6-year-old Tizway gelding, finished a closing fifth last out in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special on May 14 at Pimlico Race Course.

Prioritize made his first nine starts on turf, including a third in the 2018 Grade 2 Hill Prince at Belmont, before trainer Jimmy Bond switched the bay to dirt for his last seven efforts.

The versatile Prioritize ran third in the Grade 1 Woodward Handicap in September at Saratoga ahead of a fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup to close out his campaign.

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 3.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' Max Player, trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, is in search of his first win since capturing the Grade 3 Withers on February 1, 2020 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 4-year-old Honor Code colt ran third in both the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and Grade 1 Runhappy Travers following his Withers win for former conditioner Linda Rice.

Transferred to Asmussen for a fall campaign, Max Player finished fifth in both the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and Grade 1 Preakness in a Triple Crown campaign schedule which was readjusted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Max Player opened his season with an off-the-board effort in the Group 1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in February and ran sixth last out in the Pimlico Special.

Ricardo Santana, Jr. has the call from post 5.

The Suburban is carded as the closing race on Saturday's 10-race program. First post is 1 p.m. Eastern.

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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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Pletcher’s Birthday One To Remember With Zaajel’s Mother Goose Win

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher enjoyed a great day on and off the track Saturday, celebrating his 54th birthday with a win as Shadwell Stables' Zaajel captured the $250,000 Grade 2 Mother Goose, a one-turn 1 1/16-mile test for sophomore fillies at Belmont Park in Elmont, Ny.

Assistant Byron Hughes saddled the winner, who garnered a 96 Beyer Speed Figure, while Pletcher spent the day with family.

“It was my daughter Hannah's high school graduation, so it made for quite a nice day,” said Pletcher.

Sent to post at odds of 18-1 as the longest shot on the board in a compact field of five, Zaajel tracked the pace of previously undefeated 4-5 mutuel favorite Always Carina before making the lead at the stretch call and powering home a 1 1/4-length winner.

The 3-year-old Street Sense bay made her first two starts at Gulfstream Park, including a score in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes on January 30.

Following a troubled sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds Oaks, Zaajel failed to fire when seventh in her turf debut in the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes on April 30 at Churchill Downs.

Pletcher said he was pleased to see Zaajel return to form, who now gives the conditioner a strong one-two punch in the sophomore filly division along with Malathaat, her undefeated Shadwell stablemate, who won the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30.

“Zaajel started off very well and won her first two, including the Forward Gal, and we kind of got sidetracked when we went to the Fair Grounds,” said Pletcher. “She didn't break well that day and misbehaved in the gate and got in a little bit of trouble in the first turn.

“We were trying to keep her and Malathaat separated, so that's why we gave her an experiment on the turf,” Pletcher continued. “We thought she breezed well on it, but she didn't run the way we hoped. We had our minds on the Mother Goose for a while and she trained accordingly. We had maybe a little more confidence in her than the betting public did.”

Pletcher said with Malathaat on target for the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies on July 24 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, Ny., Zaajel could point to the seven-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Test Stakes on August 7.

“I'll talk to Rick Nicholls at Shadwell and come up with a plan,” said Pletcher. “She's versatile enough that she's won graded stakes at a mile and a sixteenth and seven furlongs. I don't anticipate we'd want to run her in the Coaching Club with Malathaat on target for that, so we could look at something like the Test or even try two turns out of town. We'll play it by year. We won't rush back off of that effort.”

Pletcher said the relationship with Shadwell has proven to be a fruitful one.

“We've been blessed. It's terrific to have two high-quality fillies like that,” said Pletcher.

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Double Thunder Rallies To Win Bashford Manor For Pletcher, Phoenix Thoroughbred

East Coast invader Double Thunder from the powerful Todd Pletcher stable rallied into a collapsing pace from last to defeat Vodka N Water by 4 ¾ lengths in Saturday's 120th running of the $150,000 Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs. Glacial was another head back in third.

Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, Double Thunder clocked six furlongs in 1:11.17.

Pletcher, who celebrated his 54th birthday Saturday, won the Bashford Manor for the third time after wins by Limehouse in 2003 and Circular Quay in 2006.

Double Thunder hopped at the start and was last as Lansdowne and Tapped Off set the pace through fractions of :21.00 and :45.30. Glacial, the filly Shesgotattitude, and Whatstheconnection also were in close pursuit down the backstretch.

Leaving the turn, Double Thunder commenced his rally as Glacial took over with 56-1 longshot Knocker Down on his right hip. Despite having to close from the back of the pack, Double Thunder had clear sailing down on the inside, swung out at the three-sixteenths pole, and easily ran down the weary Glacial, who was edged by a closing Vodka N Water for the place.

“I didn't think we would break as slow as he did so we had to adjust a little bit after the start,” Velazquez said. “Once I got to the quarter-pole, I had a lot of confidence in him and thought we had a big shot. He did everything professionally today. Warming up, he didn't handle going with the pony as well so I warmed him up by himself. I knew there would be a lot of speed in the race and wanted to keep him close – just not last. You don't expect a 2-year-old to handle things like that as well as he did. He took dirt and handled it well and I think he can move forward a lot from that.”

Double Thunder's triumph was worth $88,350 for owner Aamer Abdulaziz Ahmed's Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd. and increased his bankroll to $116,850 with a perfect record in two starts. His debut win came on June 5 at Monmouth Park.

A $60,000 yearling buy, Double Thunder is a 2-year-old son of Pletcher's 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver out of the Tapit mare Rattataptap. He was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm LLC.

Double Thunder returned $10.20, $6, and $3.80 as the 4-1 fourth betting choice. Vodka N Water, under Jose Ortiz at 7-1, paid $7 and $4.20. Glacial paid $3.40 to show under Joe Talamo at 3-1.

Knocker Down, 5-2 favorite Red Run, Shesgotattitude, Lansdowne, Whistlewhileyoumow, Whatstheconnection, and Tapped Off completed the order of finish. Rising Outlaw was a late scratch.

First run in 1902, the Bashford Manor is named for the former Louisville Thoroughbred breeding and racing farm that dominated the American racing scene in the early 1900s. George J. Long, a wealthy foundry owner, purchased Bashford Manor Farm in 1887 and developed the Thoroughbred operation that provided him two Derby wins as an owner, 1892 (Azra) and 1906 (Sir Huon), and three as a breeder, 1892 (Azra), 1899 (Manuel) and 1906 (Sir Huon). In addition, Bashford Manor also won the Kentucky Oaks in 1894 (Selika) and 1915 (Kathleen). The original Wilder family owned Bashford Manor. The Wilders were direct descendants of Lord Baltimore, whose English home was also called Bashford Manor. Long died in 1930 and the farm was eventually sold in 1973 to make way for the development of a mall complex, fittingly named Bashford Manor, that formally closed in 2003.

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