Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Pletcher To Saddle Potent One-Two Punch In Brooklyn Invitational

Trainer Todd Pletcher will be well-represented with three contenders in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. But the Hall of Fame conditioner will also send out a strong contingent in another 1 1/2-mile graded stakes contest on the day, with Ajaaweed and Moretti forming a potent one-two punch in the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational presented by Northwell Health for 4-year-olds and up.

Carded as Race 4 on the 13-race slate, the 134th running of the Brooklyn is part of a sensational card on Saturday at Belmont Park that includes nine graded stakes and eight Grade 1 events, making it the only Grade 2 race on the Breeders' Cup-quality program.

Pletcher, who won last year's Brooklyn edition with Marconi, has a strong chance for repeat success with Shadwell Stable's homebred Ajaaweed, who improved suddenly last out in the Flat Out on April 30 over Big Sandy.

Ajaaweed showed potential when starting his career in former trainer Kiaran McLaughlin's barn as a 2-year-old in 2019 before he abruptly fell off the Kentucky Derby Trail in early 2020.

The Curlin colt was given an 11-month respite, returning in January at Gulfstream Park for Pletcher. His first back featured an eighth-place finish, beaten 26 ½ lengths in a one-mile optional claimer, on January 31. His fortunes didn't improve much in his next start at Aqueduct Racetrack, where he was again beaten double-digit lengths on March 14. But everything changed once he was stretched out to 1 3/8 miles in the Flat Out, as he closed strongly in the stretch to nearly overtake Musical Heart before settling for second.

“He gave us that impression he would do well with some added distance,” Pletcher said of Ajaaweed, who earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for his Flat Out performance. “He just keeps galloping. He was coming on strong there in the end, he just got up there a little too late. Hopefully, we identified what he really wants to do.”

With Ajaaweed being a potential up-and-comer at marathon distances, the other half of the Pletcher's duo, Moretti, brings much-needed experience to the table for owners Repole Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbreds.

The 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro hasn't run since August 2 of last year, when he won the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone at Saratoga Race Course, though his proficiency at longer distances is well-documented. Coincidentally, it was actually in the 2020 edition of the Flat Out that Moretti first showed an affinity for marathons. He won the 1 3/8-mile race by 5 ¼ lengths and followed with a second-place finish in the Grade 2, 1 1/4-mile Suburban before his year came to a premature end in the Birdstone.

“I think this is what he does best,” Pletcher said. “It's a tall order to run a mile and a half off the long layoff. I hope we have him fit enough. I like the way he breezed on Friday; he galloped out nice and strong so hopefully that's got him nice and cranked up.”

Ajaaweed and Moretti will break from posts 7 and 6, respectively, with Hall of Famer John Velazquez and Irad Ortiz, Jr. set to ride.

The winner of the Flat Out, Musical Heart, will also be back for more in the Brooklyn. A $62,500 claim by trainer Rob Atras and owners Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso on November 13 of last year, Musical Heart had been knocking on the door in stakes company for his new connections until his breakthrough finally came in the Flat Out, which he won in wire-to-wire fashion by three-quarters of a length with a 99 Beyer. The 6-year-old son of Maclean's Music will break from post 5 with Kendrick Carmouche aboard.

The Brooklyn additionally attracted a few out-of-town shippers to spice up an eclectic lineup of older dirt horses. Chief among these runners is the 4-year-old Tizamagician, who hails from California and enters the race off a dominant, nine-length win in the Grade 3 Tokyo City on April 18 at Santa Anita Park.

A Tiznow colt trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella for MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, Tizamagician has really come to hand in 2021, with a win in an optional claimer to begin the year and runner-up finish in the Grade 2 San Pasqual to go along with his coming-out party in the 1 ½-mile Tokyo City. He will be ridden by Flavien Prat from post 8.

Joining Tizamagician from the West Coast is veteran marathoner Campaign, who's had a down 2021 thus far but is a two-time graded stakes-winner at the distance and missed by less than a length in this race in 2019. Trained by John Sadler for Woodford Racing, Campaign will break from post 3 with Luis Saez in the irons as he looks to bounce back following a distant fourth-place finish in an optional claimer at Oaklawn Park on April 11.

“He's coming into it well,” Sadler said. “We're adding the blinkers for this race. He's trained well with them on at Santa Anita. Two years ago, he was right there and just got beat, so we're going back. The big wide turns and the distance should suit him.”

Ubiquitous horseman Robertino Diodoro will be represented by Lone Rock, another shipper that appears well meant in this spot. Reminiscent of Musical Heart, Lone Rock was claimed by Diodoro and owner Flying P Stable for $40,000 last fall at Churchill Downs, and the 6-year-old gelding has been terrific in 2021, particularly at 12 furlongs.

Three starts ago, Lone Rock just missed in the 1 1/2-mile Temperence Hill at Oaklawn Park, and he's since rattled off two victories at this distance, including an open-length score last out in the Marathon Overnight on April 27 at Churchill Downs. Lone Rock will again be ridden by Ramon Vazquez, who has been aboard for his last two wins, and the duo will depart from the outermost post 9.

Rounding out the field for the Brooklyn are Ry's the Guy and You're to Blame, second and fourth, respectively, last out in the Marathon Overnight, and Rocketry, a salty older marathoner for trainer Jimmy Jerkens who finished third in the Flat Out in his most recent outing.

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Brown To Saddle Four In Manhattan; Deep Field Also Includes Colonel Liam, Man O’ War Top Pair

Trainer Chad Brown will be loaded for bear in the Grade 1, $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan, with four of the 10 horses entered running under his banner in the 1 1/4-mile inner turf test for 4-year-olds and up on Saturday, Belmont Stakes Day, at Belmont Park.

No stranger to success in the Manhattan, Brown will be looking for his third consecutive win – and seventh overall – in the prestigious race, which will be the final undercard contest as Race 10 before the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in Race 11.

Brown's recent dominance in the race is underscored by the fact that a win in the 119th running of the Manhattan would not even be his first three-peat in the race. The four-time Eclipse Award-winner captured three straight editions of the Manhattan from 2014-16. His exploits in the race also include saddling the top three finishers in 2019 and the top two in 2020.

Brown's quartet all have the credentials to win, but that honor may go to Domestic Spending, a 4-year-old son of Kingman who made a successful 2021 debut in the Grade 1 Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Domestic Spending showed much promise as a 3-year-old, beginning his career with a first-out win in February 2020 at Tampa Bay Downs, before making steady strides throughout a sophomore campaign that culminated with a win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on November 28. He still seemed to take his game to another level in the Turf Classic, rallying through traffic to dead-heat with the classy Colonel Liam for the win on Kentucky Derby Day.

“He seems to be doing really well and came out of his last race super,” Brown said of Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending, who will break from post 4 with Flavien Prat aboard again. “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.”

Chilean transplant Master Piece adds a bit of South American flavor to Brown's diverse lineup. Master Piece was a four-time winner in his native Chile, including a marquee win in the Group 2 Gran Clasico Coronacion at about this distance, before he joined the Brown barn late last year and finished fourth in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic in his North American debut on October 3 at Belmont.

After receiving some time off following the Joe Hirsch, Master Piece returned on April 16 at Keeneland, where he defeated allowance competition by three-quarters of a length going 1 ⅛ miles with a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. He is owned by Don Alberto Stable and will break from post 5 with Javier Castellano in the irons.

Brown will also send out a pair of runners exiting the Grade 2 Fort Marcy, a local prep for the Manhattan. Fort Marcy-winner Tribhuvan was a late addition to the race, while third-place finisher Rockemperor will look to improve upon a runner-up finish in last year's Manhattan, which was won by his stablemate Instilled Regard.

Brown said he is hopeful an equipment change for Rockemperor could be what gets him back on track, as despite running well on a number of occasions he's yet to win a race in the U.S.

“What I'm going to do with him, finally, is put a little blinker on the horse,” Brown said. “He's funny because sometimes he'll drop out of position and look a little funny and lack that turn of foot in his races, but when you train him, he can be a little bit keen going to the pole, so then I end up not putting them on because of the way he trains. I'm going to put the blinkers on.

“Another horse who was like that was [2015 Manhattan-winner] Slumber,” Brown said. “When I first got him, he would go to the pole with an iron jaw and I'd say, maybe I don't want to do that, then I'd see him race and know that I needed to (add blinkers). We'll see with Rockemperor, it may help him move forward. Let's see how he runs with them. I did see an improved workout with them.”

Rockemperor and Tribhuvan will break from posts 6 and 8, respectively, with Jose Ortiz and Eric Cancel named to ride. Both are owned in partnership by Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso, while Michael Kisber is also a part-owner of Rockemperor.

A winner of four straight races dating back to December 26 of last year, Turf Classic co-winner Colonel Liam will give Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher another strong chance to capture a Grade 1 event on Saturday. A son of Liam's Map owned by Robert and Lawana Low, Colonel Liam exploded onto the 3-year-old turf scene in 2020 when he made short work of an allowance field at Saratoga Race Course in his first try on the surface.

Colonel Liam nearly followed with a win a few weeks later in the Saratoga Derby Invitational, but he had to settle for fourth behind Domestic Spending. The Saratoga Derby marked the last time Colonel Liam has lost, and his victories in the intervening months include scores in the Grade 1 Pegasus Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park, as well as the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial in March at Fair Grounds.

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

“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,” Pletcher added. “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.”

Colonel Liam will be ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from the outermost post 10.

Trainer Christophe Clement is a three-time Manhattan winner and will send out a pair of runners in Gufo and City Man. The former rose through the stakes ranks last year with Domestic Spending and Colonel Liam, two rivals he's well acquainted with. A 4-year-old son of Declaration of War, Gufo finished second to Domestic Spending in the Saratoga Derby and third in the Hollywood Derby, beaten a head and a neck, respectively, on those occasions. In his 2021 unveiling in the Grade 1 Man O' War over this turf course, the Otter Bend Stables color-bearer lodged yet another near miss, this time finishing second by a nose.

“He's doing very well,” Clement said of Gufo, who will enlist the services of Joel Rosario from post 9. “I worked him on Friday and he had a nice work. He's a nice horse. He ran very well in the Man o' War. The Manhattan is going to be a very tough race, it always is.”

The Manhattan wasn't originally the plan for New York-bred City Man, who was entered in the Kingston here on Memorial Day, but Clement was forced to call an audible when that race came off the turf. City Man, second last out in the Fort Marcy, will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 1.

The upset winner of the Man o' War, Channel Cat, will also be back to try his luck in this spot. The Jack Sisterson and Calumet Farm product was given an aggressive ride by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez in the Man O' War, which seemed to make all the difference as the sputtering 6-year-old son of Kitten's Cat was able to stir the echoes and just outlast Gufo in the stretch.

“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 Sisterson, who took over Channel Cat's training in late 2020. “He was second in the Elkhorn 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.”

Velazquez will again be aboard Channel Cat and the duo will depart from post 7.

Completing the field will be Masteroffoxhounds [post 3, Manuel Franco], who was eighth last out in the Turf Classic, and Bye Bye Melvin [post 2, Junior Alvarado], most recently fourth in the Grade 2 Dinner Party at Pimlico.

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Swiss Skydiver Faces Deep Field In Saturday’s Ogden Phipps

Swiss Skydiver has taken her show on the road here, there and yonder while notching six graded stakes triumphs over five different racetracks. On Saturday, the 2020 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly will vie to reign supreme over a new oval when taking on a compact but classy field in the 53rd running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park.

The prestigious 1 1/16-mile test for older fillies and mares is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifier, offering the winner an automatic entry into the Distaff on November 6 at Del Mar.

Owned by Peter Callahan, Swiss Skydiver boasts a lifetime record of 14-7-3-2 and a bankroll of $2,125,480 in earnings, most notably becoming only the sixth filly in history to capture the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Her six graded stakes victories make up a cumulative 21 graded stakes triumphs in the Ogden Phipps field.

In the third start of her 3-year-old campaign, the daughter of Daredevil won her first graded stakes when taking the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in gate-to-wire fashion and began adding miles to the tank with triumphs in the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks. After taking a crack against males with a game second in the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland, she recorded her first triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure with a 3 ½-length win in the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga, where she ran a 102.

Swiss Skydiver registered her biggest claim to fame thus far two starts later in the Preakness. At the top of the stretch, she engaged in a dramatic stretch duel with Kentucky Derby winner Authentic and managed to fend off the subsequent Horse of the Year by a neck while recording a career-best 105 Beyer.

Trainer Kenny McPeek gave Swiss Skydiver a freshening after a seventh-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Keeneland to close out her sophomore season. She returned to action with vigor when making her 4-year-old bow a winning one in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita. She arrives at the Ogden Phipps off a distant third in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom on April 17 at Oaklawn Park.

Swiss Skydiver has put together a strong series of works heading into her upcoming engagement. She recently went a sharp half-mile over the Churchill Downs main track in 47.80 on Saturday morning.

“She's been training super,” McPeek said. “We had a little hind leg infection that was bothering her. It didn't appear to be a big deal going into Oaklawn, but it might have been why she ran a little flat that day. She's trained like a beast going into this race. So, we're lining up with her again. She's obviously a great filly.

“She is pretty amazing, there's no question,” McPeek added. “She doesn't have many quirks and she loves her routine. She's a very happy filly. She loves to eat, train and has been a pleasure for the people around her. I just hope it last a couple of more years. She's very low maintenance.”

McPeek said Swiss Skydiver could target a start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch on August 1 at Del Mar. She also could set sights on a return to the Spa for the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 28. Like the Ogden Phipps, both races are also “Win And You're In” events.

“The Grade 1 status and the timing for this race was ideal,” McPeek said. “We could have waited it out for the [Grade 2] Fleur de Lis [on June 26 at Churchill Downs], but we wanted to run here,” McPeek said. “I'd like to think we could get her to the Clement Hirsch in California or the Personal Ensign and then there's the Spinster in the fall, too.”

McPeek said Callahan, a New Yorker, has expressed excitement in watching his champion filly run at Belmont Park.

“Peter is from New York, New York so obviously he was interested in this race himself,” McPeek said. “We're also looking at the Saratoga schedule. It was a big deal for Peter when we won the Alabama. We're going to meet Peter this week and hope to enjoy another big win.”

Jockey Jose Ortiz will attempt to be the sixth jockey to pilot Swiss Skydiver to a graded stakes triumph when she breaks from the inside post.

Three of Swiss Skydiver's foes also are Grade 1-winners, including St. George Stable's Letruska, who notched her first victory at such caliber last out in the Apple Blossom on April 16 at Oaklawn Park.

The conquest was a breakthrough one for the 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver, as she defeated two champions in Swiss Skydiver and Monomoy Girl, the reigning Champion Older Mare. After setting the pace, she was confronted by Monomoy Girl in upper stretch, but re-rallied along the rail to win by a neck.

“She's doing very well since the Apple Blossom,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said. “She's trained very well at Keeneland. The first question I had was if she could fit with those kind of mares and she showed in that race that she could. She ran like a champion.”

Letruska brags the most amount of victories in the field with 13.

She scored her first six wins in as many starts in Mexico, where she won two Group 1 events. When shifting to the United States, she remained competitive at a high level with stakes triumphs in the Added Elegance at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3 Shuvee at Saratoga.

Following a distant fourth in the Grade 2 Beldame Invitational, Letruska returned ten weeks later with a decisive win in the Grade 3 Rampart on December 12 at Gulfstream Park. Her career has reached new heights during her current campaign, which commenced with a sharp triumph in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic on January 31.

Gutierrez said removing blinkers ahead of the Rampart benefitted Letruska.

“After we took the blinkers off, she had more chance to relax,” Gutierrez said. “She's more competitive. She would go very fast. She's a filly with some natural speed. She likes to run free.”

Letruska will be reunited with Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 3.

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox will saddle two contestants, including 2020 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil.

Shedaresthedevil led a Daredevil-sired exacta in the Kentucky Oaks defeating Swiss Skydiver by 1 ½ lengths while completing the nine-furlong journey in 1:48.20 – the fastest time in the race's history.

Owned by Flurry Racing and Qatar Bloodstock, Shedaresthedevil will seek to keep a clean 4-year-old season intact. Following a wire-to-wire win against Letruska in the Grade 3 Azeri at Oaklawn Park in her seasonal debut, she returned to Churchill Downs with vigor when defeating five graded stakes winners in the Grade 1 La Troienne on April 30.

“Off the bench, she's 2-for-2 and was able to beat some really good horses,” Cox said. “She was able to keep her head in front of Letruska in her first start as a 4-year-old. She's a big, beautiful filly and I think she's moved forward from 3 to 4.”

Jockey Florent Geroux has been aboard for four of Shedaresthedevil's five graded stakes victories and will be reunited with the talented bay filly from post 5.

Cox also sends out two-time graded stakes-winner Bonny South for three-time Ogden Phipps winning owner Juddmonte Farm.

The daughter of Munnings won in her 2021 debut when prevailing in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare on April 16 at Keeneland. During her sophomore campaign last March, Bonny South made her first start against graded stakes company a winning one in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.

Bonny South worked in company with Grade 1 Belmont Stakes favorite Essential Quality on May 29 going a stiff five furlongs in 59.40 seconds over the Churchill Downs main track.

While Shedaresthedevil boasts a more accomplished resume, Cox said Bonny South is on the improve.

“She's been training really well, and I thought her race off the layoff was huge,” Cox said. “I really feel this filly has moved forward from 3 to 4 physically, mentally and just how she's training. We're expecting a big year out of her. This is going to be her 4-year-old Grade 1 debut, so with a good trip, she can be a big factor. She breezed with Essential Quality and they both breezed fantastic.”

Jockey Joel Rosario wore Juddmonte's iconic pink, teal and white silks when guiding Close Hatches to victory in the 2014 Ogden Phipps, and has the mount from post 7.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher seeks his fourth Ogden Phipps victory with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin Schwartz and China Horse Club's Valiance.

The gray Tapit mare makes her 5-year-old debut having last raced when second to Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Keeneland. Initially campaigned on turf, on which she won her first three starts,

Valiance saw an alternation of her campaign after a victory in an off-the-turf Eatontown in August at Monmouth Park. She parlayed her newfound winning dirt form into Grade 1 company, capturing the Spinster on October 4 at Keeneland by three-quarters of a length.

“I think as she improved last year, she started training better and running better on the dirt,” said Pletcher who previously won with Ashado [2005], Life At Ten [2010] and Awesome Maria [2011]. “We were happy to run her when it came off. She came out of it and started training better and better. Obviously, the Spinster was a huge win for her and then she ran super in the Breeders Cup. It's a tough race off the layoff, but she seems to be training well.”

Jockey Luis Saez will ride from post 2.

Completing the field are graded stakes-placed Water White [post 6, Manny Franco], who won last year's Busher Invitational at Aqueduct for Rudy Rodriguez, and the Saffie Joseph, Jr. trained Queen Nekia [post 4, Tyler Gaffalione], an upset winner of the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park two starts back.

Previously raced as the Hempstead through 2001, the Ogden Phipps honors the late philanthropist and horse owner, whose iconic and timeless black and cherry cap silks have been synonymous with some of the greatest thoroughbreds of the 20th century. During his long tenure as an owner, Phipps campaigned multiple Hall of Famers such as Easy Goer, Buckpasser, Personal Ensign and Inside Information. One year after his passing in 2002, Phipps was posthumously awarded the Eclipse Award of Merit in 2003 and was named a Pillar of the Turf in 2019. The Phipps family remains active in racing under the moniker Phipps Stable, which is managed by Daisy Phipps Pulito with their horses being trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey.

The Ogden Phipps is carded as Race 7 on Saturday's 13-race program at Belmont Park. First post is 11:35 a.m.

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Pletcher, Clement Each Have Formidable Pair In Wonder Again Stakes

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a formidable pair of contenders in Jouster and Con Lima in Thursday's Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again, a nine-furlong inner turf test for sophomore fillies on Opening Day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The festival runs from Thursday through Saturday, June 5, culminating with the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

Thursday's nine-race card, which offers a 3:05 p.m. Eastern first post, features a trio of stakes offerings, including the Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental, a seven-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares; and the $150,000 Astoria, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies on Big Sandy. The Wonder Again will go as Race 8 at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.

While both Pletcher-trained fillies are good from gate, the veteran conditioner said he expects Jouster to be more forwardly placed.

“I think Jouster is naturally quicker and Con Lima has shown that she can sit just off the pace,” Pletcher said.

Starlight Racing's Jouster, a Noble Mission bay, will make her first appearance since a 1 1/2-length gate-to-wire score over Wonder Again rivals Gift List and Plum Ali in the one-mile Grade 2 Appalachian on April 3 over a Keeneland turf course rated good.

A $360,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Jouster is out of the Street Cry mare Playtime, who is a daughter of champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying and granddaughter of multiple Grade I-winner My Flag from the family of Champion Older Mare Personal Ensign.

Jouster has won three of her last four starts with the lone loss coming by a nose to Domain Expertise in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Florida Oaks on March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs.

“She's a naturally fast filly and it seems like she's starting to settle a bit,” said Pletcher. “It's sort of a pivotal race for us in terms of which direction we go with her. If she can handle a mile and an eighth, we may look at some of those races that are a little longer. If not, we'll cut back in distance. We're eager to find out how she does.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Del Toro, Eric Nikolaus and Troy Johnson's graded-stakes winner Con Lima, a Texas-bred daughter of Commissioner, boasts a record of five wins and four seconds from 10 starts.

Con Lima, who has made her last seven starts at Gulfstream Park, made the grade via the disqualification of Spanish Loveaffair in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride, a 1 1/16-mile turf test on February 27. She followed that effort with a fourth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks over dirt on March 27 ahead of a dominant four-length score last out in the 1 1/16-mile Honey Ryder over good turf.

Pletcher said the versatile filly is coming into the race in fine fettle.

“She trains and runs consistently well,” said Pletcher. “She's better on the turf, but handles dirt OK, also. We'll see how she handles the mile and an eighth and how it all plays out for her.”

Luis Saez will pilot Jouster from post 5, while Flavien Prat has the call aboard Con Lima from post 2.

Trainer Christophe Clement will also saddle a strong pair in Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables' Plum Ali and Brereton C. Jones' homebred Creative Cairo.

Plum Ali, by First Samurai, won her first three career starts, culminating in a 2 1/4-length score in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Miss Grillo in October at Belmont. She completed her campaign with a closing fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November at Keeneland.

Plum Ali made her seasonal debut with a close third in the Appalachian, just two lengths in arrears of Jouster.

“I think she is a top-class filly. At Keeneland, she was a bit unlucky because of the pace scenario,” said Clement. “I have a small question mark if she will stay a mile and an eighth or mile and a quarter. But we're giving it a try and we'll find out. Her race at Keeneland was actually a very good race. She finished third in a good race. The pace was against her, but she finished well. She's trained well since.”

Creative Cairo, by Cairo Prince, prevailed by a nose in a nine-furlong turf route at second asking on April 10 at the Big A. The Kentucky homebred steps into stakes company for the first time from a nearly two-month layoff.

“She has improved in her morning works since she broke her maiden at Aqueduct,” said Clement. “It's just worth it to give her a shot in a stake because she has improved in the way she trains.”

Plum Ali will exit post 10 under Joel Rosario, while Manny Franco will guide Creative Cairo from post 8.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gianni Fittipaldi's Mia Martina, trained by Graham Motion, enters off short rest from a closing fourth in the Hilltop, a one-mile event won by Alda on May 14 over firm turf at Pimlico Race Course.

The Not This Time bay, with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, rallied from 16 lengths off the pace to finish just 2 1/4-lengths behind the winner.

“She didn't have a great trip in the Hilltop. It was nobody's fault; just one of those things,” said Motion. “I didn't feel like she had a hard race, so for that reason, I don't mind running her back in three weeks. Plus, I think she'll appreciate the mile and an eighth.”

A winner at first asking on the Gulfstream Park West turf for former trainer Juan Avila, Mia Martina won first out for Motion in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer on the Gulfstream turf in January. She closed late to be fourth in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks before a difficult dirt debut in which she was eased.

“The Gazelle was a white wash. I just put a line through it,” said Motion.

Mia Martina will look to get back on track from the inside post under Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Chad Brown will have a pair of contenders in Fluffy Socks and Technical Analysis as he looks to win his fourth Wonder Again following scores by Lady Eli [2015], New Money Honey [2017], and Cambier Parc [2019].

Head of Plains Partners' Fluffy Socks, a Kentucky homebred daughter of Slumber, made the grade in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante traveling one-mile over firm Del Mar turf in November to close out her juvenile campaign.

“She's doing really well. After she won late last year at Del Mar, we tucked her away for a little bit and just planned on focusing on this turf series for 3-year-old fillies,” said Brown. “She doesn't seem to have any distance limitations—longer the better—and a real, true mile and a quarter filly. When you look at the top and bottom of her pedigree, it fits, and she's coming in really well.”

The talented bay won the Selima over yielding Pimlico turf in October ahead of a nose loss to Ingrassia when second in the Chelsey Flower in November over a soft Belmont turf.

Fluffy Socks enters from a closing second in the 1 1/16-mile Memories of Silver over firm Aqueduct turf on April 18.

“She got into a lot of trouble in her last race and, as you can see last year when we were developing her, she's a little better when you get a race under her belt,” said Brown. “She's trained that way, too. Now that she's got a race, she's sharpened up a bit in her training, too.

“She might be closer to the pace as we stretch her out,” he added. “But you would hope there's some pace in the race for her to make one run.”

Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis, a bay daughter of Kingman bred in Ireland by Rabbah Bloodstock Limited, graduated at second asking over good Aqueduct turf in November to complete her 2-year-old season.

Technical Analysis enters from a 2 3/4-length score in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claiming event on firm Belmont turf on April 29.

Brown said he has high hopes for progeny of the talented Kingman, who in 2014 won the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas, St. James's Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix Jacques le Marois en route to being named Cartier Horse of the Year in Europe.

“She's very talented. Fortunately, we were onto Kingman early as a young stallion,” said Brown. “He was a remarkable racehorse who was unfortunately maybe a little bit overshadowed by Frankel, running around the same time for Juddmonte, but he only lost one time and appeared to really like firm ground. It doesn't always work out, but we've been a big supporter of Kingman from the very first crop. Now that ship has sailed and he's harder to buy, but we've been fortunate to buy the ones we have and nearly all of them have turned out to be runners.”

Brown said he is hopeful Jose Ortiz will be able to engineer a measured, one-run trip for the Irish-bred filly out of the Sea The Stars mare Sealife.

“I keep looking at that [damsire] Sea the Stars and thinking, even though she's been keen in her races, she's a beautiful, big, scopey horse and if we can keep working with her and Jose to get her to settle a little bit, she'll have no problem with the distance,” said Brown.

Ortiz, Jr. will guide Fluffy Socks from post 7, while Technical Analysis will emerge from post 9 under Ortiz.

Amerman Racing's Gift List, trained by Brian Lynch, was a 4 1/4-length winner of the Grade 2 Edgewood last out on April 30 over a Churchill Downs turf rated good. The Bated Breath chestnut launched her career in England with trainer Karl Richard Burke, winning a pair of starts before joining Lynch for her sophomore season.

Gift List completed the exacta behind Jouster in the Appalachian in her North American debut ahead of her Edgewood coup.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will be aboard Gift List from post 6.

Completing the field are I Get It [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche], and Alwayz Late [post 4, Jose Lezcano].

The post Pletcher, Clement Each Have Formidable Pair In Wonder Again Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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