Tag: Todd Pletcher

‘Quality’ Over Quantity in Triple Crown Finale

ELMONT, NY — What a difference a year makes.

Back in its traditional spot on the calendar and 1 1/2-mile distance after the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world-and Triple Crown-completely upside down in 2020, Saturday's GI Belmont S. will feature a showdown between last year's champion 2-year-old colt Essential Quality (Tapit) and GI Preakness S. upsetter Rombauer (Twirling Candy).

The Godolphin homebred was unstoppable in his first five career starts, headed by a win in the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby, he covered all the ground that day and reported home a respectable fourth, beaten just a length.

How will he handle the added distance of the Belmont? His leading sire Tapit is shooting for a record fourth success, and if his training is any indication, the longer the better, per trainer Brad Cox.

“I remember the first time we breezed him,” Cox said in a recent feature in TDN. “I looked at my assistant and said, 'Wow, this horse acts like he can win the Belmont.' He just never stopped.”

Cox added of the Belmont 2-1 morning-line favorite, “He ran what I thought was a winning race in the Derby; he didn't have the trip, but he showed up and he's been improving in every start.”

Cox also saddled the Derby second-place finisher Mandaloun (Into Mischief), who could be elevated to first after a split sample confirmed the prohibited corticosteroid betamethasone in the race's winner Medina Spirit (Protonico) earlier this week.

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) sat just behind the leaders in the Derby, and, after making his way through some traffic, outfinished Essential Quality by a head to place third. Hot Rod Charlie's resume also includes a 94-1 second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a front-running victory in the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20.

The half-brother to champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) retains the services of Flavien Prat, who also guided home Rombauer to an 11-1 upset in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

“With the distance, I think it will suit him well,” trainer Doug O'Neill said. “He's won going 1 3/16 in the Louisiana Derby. I think his gate speed and versatility will be an asset as well. I'm super excited having Flavien back on him.”

The versatile Rombauer, also a winner of the El Camino Real Derby over the Golden Gate synthetic Feb. 13, finished behind Essential Quality in each of their two previous meetings, reporting home fifth in the Juvenile and third in the GII Blue Grass S. Excluding recent Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify, Rombauer seeks to become the first sophomore to complete the Preakness/Belmont double since Afleet Alex did so in 2005.

The John and Diane Fradkin homebred will be piloted for the first time by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, his seventh different rider in eight-career starts.

“He's had several different riders and it's not something that's bothered me,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “It would have been nice to have Flavien back, but I feel we have a wonderful substitute.”

The former assistant to Todd Pletcher added, “I have a lot of good memories here. To win any Triple Crown race is fantastic, the Belmont is really the 'Test of the Champion' and it would certainly be nice to hoist a trophy like that on Saturday.”

Pletcher will have three chances to capture his fourth win in the Belmont, led by GI Curlin Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby ninth Known Agenda (Curlin). Irad Ortiz, Jr., booked to ride the St Elias Stable homebred, went down in a spill on Friday's card and will be sidelined for two weeks. A replacement rider for Known Agenda has yet to be named.

Pletcher will also saddle longshots Bourbonic (Bernardini) and Overtook (Curlin). The former followed a narrow upset in the GII Wood Memorial S. with a 13th-place finish in the Derby. Overtook, a $1-million KEESEP yearling, enters off a third-place finish in the local prep GIII Peter Pan S.

Never a factor after getting wiped out at the start in the Derby, GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) looks to atone for his 17th-place finish as the 9-2 second choice. The Hronis Racing and Michael Talla colorbearer appears to be the controlling speed, with a better break this time, of course.

“We always thought the longer the better for him,” trainer John Sadler said. “He's come back and done real well since the Derby. We think he can run a long way. He's got Candy Ride on top and with him being out of an Empire Maker mare, he's got the stamina to go the distance.”

Japan's France Go de Ina (Will Take Charge), sixth after a slow start in the G2 UAE Derby Mar. 27 and seventh in the Preakness, rounds out the field of eight. A $1-million bonus–offered to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the Belmont– will be on the line.

A year after being conducted spectator-free, around one turn at 1 1/8 miles and as the first race of the Triple Crown on the third Saturday in June, sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 80s will greet a capped crowd of approximately 11,000 for Saturday's loaded 13-race program.

The card features eight Grade I contests, including the prestigious GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. Post time for the Belmont is 6:49 p.m. ET. NBC will have live coverage beginning at 5 p.m.

The post ‘Quality’ Over Quantity in Triple Crown Finale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Rubber Match for ‘Liam,’ ‘Spending’ in Manhattan

At the conclusion of the May 1 GI Old Forestor Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs there was no room to spare between Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) and Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending (Kingman {GB}) who crossed the wire in unison and the duo will attempt to separate themselves in Saturday's GI Resorts World Casino Manhattan S. at Belmont. Domestic Spending is trained by Chad Brown, who has won the 1 1/2-mile race on seven occasions, including the last two most recent renewals.

On the board in all five starts at three, including a win on the Saratoga Derby Invitational, Domestic Spending rounded out the year with a score in the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar in November. Given some time off, he returned to dead heat with Colonel Liam last time.

“He seems to be doing really well and came out of his last race super,” Brown said of the colt, who will break from post 4 with Flavien Prat back in the irons. “He's been breezing like a timepiece, so I think we're in good shape. He ran a faster race than the horse he dead-heated with in the Turf Classic. We're confident he'll run a good race.”

Brown also saddles Group 2 winner Master Piece (Chi) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), MGISP Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}), winner of the May 1 GII Fort Marcy S.

Trying to take down Team Brown, Colonel Liam, who finished fourth behind Domestic Spending in last summer's Saratoga Derby, kicked off his winning skein in December with a confident victory in Gulfstream's Tropical Park Derby before eking out a win in the 9 1/2-furlong GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at that venue in January. Prior to his Turf Classic tie, he proved best in the GII Muniz Memorial Classic S. Fair Grounds in March.

“It's a very deep race and a very good race, arguably the strongest on the card,” said trainer Todd Pletcher of the Manhattan. “Colonel Liam is doing great and he's run well every time; we expect him to do the same again.”

He added, “I think he thought he had [the Turf Classic] won last time and he may have idled a touch when he got to the lead. Depending on the pace scenario, I don't see too much pace. He may find himself closer and possibly on the lead. We'll play it by ear and let him do his thing.”

Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the grey will break from Post 10.

Calumet Farm's Channel Cat (English Channel) comes into this off a career-high score in Belmont's GI Man O' War S. May 8. The 6-year-old was able to withstand the oncoming 2020 GI Belmont Derby winner Gufo (Declaration of War) by a nose at the wire.

“I'm only just getting to know the horse, but he seems to really be coming around in the short time I've had him,” said Jack Sisterson, who took over Channel Cat's training in late 2020. “He was second in the [GII] Elkhorn [S. at Keeneland Apr. 17] and we wanted to give him time to come back for the Manhattan, but he put on 50 pounds after the Elkhorn and his coat was coming around. If horses could talk, he was telling us he wanted to run again. So, we ran him back quick.”

The post Rubber Match for ‘Liam,’ ‘Spending’ in Manhattan appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Chase Miller Scores First Victory Aboard His Father’s Trainee At Churchill Downs

Jockey Chase Miller, the 27-year-old son of trainer Darrin Miller, recorded his first-career victory Thursday evening aboard Bethy in Race 4 at Churchill Downs.

Owned by Silverton Hill, and trained by Miller's father, Bethy cruised to a 3 ¼-length win as the 4-5 post time favorite.

Bethy was Miller's 10th mount in his young career. He moved to Kentucky at an early age and attended Oldham County High School. Miller began to work for his father and eventually was an exercise rider for Steve Asmussen, Todd Pletcher and, in more recent years, George Weaver.

Miller's career in the saddle began in 2012 at Delaware Park where he rode in three races. He worked the past several years as an exercise rider until he once again pursued his dream to ride races. He was named on one horse Friday for his father and two Sunday for trainers Genevieve Londono and Jason Cook.

The post Chase Miller Scores First Victory Aboard His Father’s Trainee At Churchill Downs appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Elevated Temperatures Knock Swiss Skydiver And Valiance Out Of Ogden Phipps

Trainer Kenny McPeek announced on Twitter Friday morning that Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, would be scratched from Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“Unfortunately Swiss Skydiver had a 104 fever this morning,” McPeek Tweeted. “We are a scratch. We've treated her to knock down the fever and will regroup later in the season. Never easy.”

The scratch reduces the Phipps field to five starters following Daily Racing Form's report on Thursday that Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin Schwartz and CHC Inc.'s Valiance, winner of the G1 Spinster at Keeneland and second to Monomoy Girl in the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff for trainer Todd Pletcher, was also knocked out by an elevated temperature.

Swiss Skydiver was the 5-2 co-second choice on the morning line behind 8-5 favorite Letruska, with Valiance listed at 4-1.

Swiss Skydiver's fever came after she vanned from Churchill Downs in Kentucky to Belmont Park. An experienced traveler, the daughter of Daredevil has competed over nine different tracks in a 14-race career.

On Thursday, DRF's Mike Welsch first reported the scratch of Valiance, a 5-year-old Tapit mare who would have been making her first start since the Breeders' Cup. “We're dealing with a temperature issue,” Pletcher told Welsch. “It's frustrating, She never trained better. Bad timing.”

The post Elevated Temperatures Knock Swiss Skydiver And Valiance Out Of Ogden Phipps appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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