Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Promise Keeper Gives Pletcher Another Potential Belmont Starter After Peter Pan Score

Staying true to form, 3-2 favorite Promise Keeper took the nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., by 2 ¼ lengths over a field of four other 3-year-olds in the traditional local prep for the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, the third jewel of racing's Triple Crown.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher for a partnership of Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm, and Rock Ridge Racing, Promise Keeper has had an up and down start to his career. After finishing a well-beaten fourth in his debut on January 9 at Gulfstream Park, the son of Constitution returned to break his maiden impressively at Gulfstream before finishing last of 12 in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 6.

Undeterred, Promise Keeper came back with gusto in his most recent start, a 5 ½-length allowance win going nine furlongs at Keeneland on April 8, and sustained that momentum on Saturday.

Drawn in post 3 following the defection of Klaravich Stables' Risk Taking from the Peter Pan, who instead will run in next Saturday's Grade 1 Preakness, Promise Keeper broke well and assumed a stalking position as Wolfie's Dynaghost went straight to the front.

Second-time starter Wolfie's Dynaghost set sensible fractions down the expansive Belmont backstretch, carving out an opening quarter-mile in 24.53 seconds and a half in 48.62 on the fast main track as Promise Keeper sat perched just to his outside in second and Nova Rags in third, with the quintet fairly spaced out in the early stages.

The running intensified around the far turn, with three-quarters going in 1:13.20, and it wasn't long thereafter that Promise Keeper came calling for the lead, which Wolfie's Dynaghost ceded readily as Nova Rags moved up in kind and Promise Keeper's stablemate Overtook launched his rally from the back of the pack.

Those three lined up as the field turned for home, but neither pursuer was able to make much headway on Promise Keeper, who dug in fervently on the rail under Luis Saez and dashed to the line comfortably in front, stopping the clock in 1:50.71.

“He's a big mover and Luis was able to do a perfect job putting him in a stalking position and let him take advantage of the rhythmic stride he has,” said Pletcher. “Luis said he had a lot of horse in the end, so that's encouraging.

“I thought tactically that Luis rode a smart race and put him into a good spot and got into a good rhythm. When that horse came to him, he found some more and finished up well,” Pletcher added.

With the victory, Promise Keeper increased his earnings to $184,600 and the chestnut sophomore returned $5 even on a $2 win wager.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's Nova Rags continued his string of solid performances in stakes races with his second in the Peter Pan. He won the Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs four starts ago, which preceded a narrow runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa and a fourth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.

The Michael Shanley homebred checked in 1 ½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Overtook, who was making his first start since the Grade 3 Withers on February 6 at Aqueduct Racetrack, in which he made a belated run to get second. Longshot I Am the Law and Wolfie's Dynaghost completed the order of finish.

“I thought he ran a great race,” said Junior Alvarado, jockey aboard runner-up Nova Rags. “It was a tricky race with a five-horse field. The winner had a better trip and he kind of drew away from me at the last sixteenth. We know where we are at least with him. He's a good horse and we're going to keep trying. Hopefully, we get one sooner than later.”

The Peter Pan invites questions as to who among the field will now target the Belmont Stakes on June 5, and it certainly seems like the connections of the winner are pointing in that direction.

“He's got a big bouncy, reachy stride and it seems like the further he goes, the better he gets,” Pletcher said of Promise Keeper. “Historically, the Peter Pan has been a good prep for the Belmont. I'll talk to the connections about it, but that was amongst the discussions leading into this.”

Racing returns on Sunday with a nine-race card beginning at 1 p.m. ET highlighted by the $100,000 Gold Fever for 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track.

Starting on May 1, Belmont Park re-opened to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.

For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.

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Constitution’s Promise Keeper Runs to the Money in Peter Pan

Promise Keeper (Constitution) tossed his hat in the ring as a potential GI Belmont S. starter with a strong performance in Saturday's GIII Peter Pan S.

The chestnut, off as the 3-2 favorite, sat a stalking trip in second as the comebacking maiden winner Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) led through fractions of :24.53 and :48.62. Promise Keeper struck the front as they hit the quarter pole, and, after getting a bold challenge from Nova Rags (Union Rags) in the stretch, swatted that foe away to win by an expanding 2 1/4 lengths.

“Historically, the Peter Pan has been a good prep for the Belmont,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I'll talk to the connections about it, but that was amongst the discussions leading into this.”

Pletcher continued, “He's a big mover and Luis [Saez] was able to do a perfect job putting him in a stalking position and let him take advantage of the rhythmic stride he has. Luis said he had a lot of horse in the end, so that's encouraging.

“I thought tactically that Luis rode a smart race and put him into a good spot and got into a good rhythm. When that horse came to him, he found some more and finished up well. He's got a big bouncy, reachy stride and it seems like the further he goes, the better he gets.”

Promise Keeper, owned in partnership by Woodford Thoroughbreds LLC, WinStar Farm LLC and Rock Ridge Racing LLC, sandwiched a disappointing 12th in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 6 with a maiden win in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6 and a powerful optional claiming tally going 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland last time Apr. 8.

The newly minted Hall of Famer won last weekend's GI Kentucky Oaks with 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin). He was also represented by GI Kentucky Derby starters Known Agenda (Curlin) (ninth); Sainthood (Mshawish) (11th); Bourbonic (Bernardini) (13th); and Dynamic One (Union Rags) (18th). How is his Belmont S. roster shaping up so far?

“Known Agenda and Bourbonic are definitely pointed that way,” Pletcher said. “Sainthood we're going to give a breeze on the turf and make a decision after we see that. Dynamic One is another [under consideration]. Malathaat, it's on the radar, but we're not committed to anything just yet.”

Pedigree Notes:

Promise Keeper is the latest of 11 graded winners for third-crop sire Constitution, whose 20 black-type winners include last year's GI Belmont and GI Travers winner Tiz the Law. Promise Keeper's unraced dam, Mira Alta, sold for $200,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale and is now the dam of two of Curlin's five stakes winners as a damsire. In addition to Promise Keeper, she has produced SW & GSP Wicked Awesome (Awesome Again) and GSP War Stopper (Declaration of War). In the pipeline is a 2-year-old filly by Shanghai Bobby who hammered for $5,000 as a Keeneland January short yearling, a yearling filly by Honor Code, and a 2021 colt by Mastery. Mira Alta is a half to GISW Great Hunter (Aptitude) and to the dam of MGSW & MGISP Owendale (Into Mischief), and is from the immediate family of champion and $6-million Keeneland sales mare Stellar Wind (Curlin). Promise Keeper's seventh dam is the Sir Gallahad III (Fr) mare Omayya, who has figured in the pedigrees of a number of prominent horses of late, including American champion Tepin (Bernstein) and Australian champion Americain (Dynaformer).

Saturday, Belmont Park
PETER PAN S.-GIII, $194,000, Belmont, 5-8, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.71, ft.
1–PROMISE KEEPER, 118, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Mira Alta, by Curlin
                2nd Dam: Zenith, by Roy
                3rd Dam: Sequins, by Northern Fashion
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($160,000
Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Woodford Thoroughbreds LLC, WinStar
Farm LLC & Rock Ridge Racing LLC; B-Rock Ridge
Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Luis Saez.
$110,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $184,600. *1/2 to War
Stopper (Declaration of War), GSP, $108,470; 1/2 to Wicked
Awesome (Awesome Again), SW & GSP, $294,460. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Nova Rags, 118, c, 3, Union Rags–Wishful Splendor, by Smart
Strike. ($275,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O/B-Michael Shanley
(KY); T-William I. Mott. $40,000.
3–Overtook, 118, c, 3, Curlin–Got Lucky, by A.P. Indy.
($1,000,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable,
Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Hill 'n'
Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. & Philip J. Steinberg (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher. $24,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1HF, 8 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 2.05, 3.70.
Also Ran: I Am the Law, Wolfie's Dynaghost. Scratched: Risk Taking. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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‘Horse Whisperer’ Says All Systems Go For Willful Woman In Black-Eyed Susan

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Willful Woman, a 3-year-old daughter of champion Nyquist and half-sister to Grade 3 winner Ever So Clever, will make her return to stakes company in Friday's 97^th running of the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

Alex Lieblong said the filly, based in Kentucky with Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, is being pointed to the 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan for sophomore fillies that headlines a program of six stakes, four graded, worth $1 million in purses on the eve of the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1).

“[Asmussen] says all systems go on her,” Lieblong said. “I usually get a vibe from him one way or the other and I think he's felt real good how she's trained. She worked the other morning and had a nice work. It was unlike an Asmussen work, although there were only 17 or 18 horses that worked, but she had a nice work there. So, knock on wood, it looks like she's headed that way.”

Willful Woman breezed five furlongs in 59.80 seconds May 2 at Churchill Downs, fastest of 17 horses. It was her first timed work since rebounding from running last of seven in the March 6 Honeybee (G3) by winning an optional claiming allowance April 9, both going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park.

Purchased for $400,000 as a yearling in August 2019 at Saratoga, Willful Woman's sire was the champion male at 2 and won the 2016 Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) and was third in the Preakness at 3. Ever So Clever, also out of the Grade 3-placed mare Foxy Danseur, won the 2017 Fantasy (G3) for Asmussen.

“We think she's a really nice filly. She's just kind of kept growing into herself,” Lieblong said. “She was kind of a big, tall, scopey thing, so to speak, but now she's filling that scope out some so we're tickled pink with the way she's doing.”

Previously in the Black-Eyed Susan, the Lieblongs owned Marathon Lady, a 12-1 long shot who came up a neck short of Bob Baffert-trained winner Fiftyshadesofhay in 2013. They won the 2020 Miss Preakness (G3) with Wicked Whisper. Asmussen in seeking his first Black-Eyed Susan win.

The Lieblongs will be back to defend their title in the $150,000 Miss Preakness for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs with the Asmussen-trained Abrogate, most recently fifth in the seven-furlong Eight Belles (G2) April 30 on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard. The 3-year-old Outwork filly has won three of five career starts including the six-furlong Purple Martin Stakes April 3 at Oaklawn.

“If the horse whisperer, Asmussen, says she's ready, then we'll give her a shot,” Lieblong said. “She was right there with the leaders last time, and they went quick. She might be just a six-furlong horse.”

Though Lieblong said they will likely miss Preakness weekend to attend the high school graduation of their granddaughter, they have enjoyed great hospitality in previous trips to Pimlico and always look forward to the racing.

“We always enjoy coming up there if we can, if we've got something that looks like it might fit. Everybody's so friendly up there,” Lieblong, an Arkansas native, resident and businessman who also serves as chairman of the Arkansas Racing Commission, said. “I'm looking forward to a year, like everybody is, without all the added drama and hard times.”

G2 Winner Fearless Bound for Pimlico Special (G3) After Saturday Work
WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Grade 2 winner Fearless is headed to the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) on Friday following his half-mile breeze Saturday in New York.

In company with the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) contender Unbridled Honor for Hall of Fame-elect trainer Todd Pletcher, Fearless worked four furlongs over a Belmont Park training track rated fast. Both horses were timed in 49.75 seconds.

Pletcher, still seeking his first career Preakness triumph, won the Pimlico Special in back-to-back years with Revolutionary in 2014 and Commissioner in 2015.

“I thought he worked very well this morning,” Pletcher said, “so he is on target for the Pimlico Special.”

Fearless returned from eight months between races to capture the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) Feb. 27 in his 5-year-old debut. The gelded son of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper closed to be second, beaten a half-length, in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap (G2) April 17 at Oaklawn Park.

Irad Ortiz Jr., the three-time defending Eclipse Award winner, was aboard for both starts and retains the mount in the Pimlico Special.

Other horses pointing to the Pimlico Special for 3-year-olds and up, contested at the Preakness distance of 1 3/16 miles, include defending champion Harpers First Ride; Cordmaker, third each of the past two years; Alwaysmining, Last Judgment, Max Player, Modernist, Prioritize and Treasure Trove.

Proxy Breezes Saturday at Fair Hill, $100,000 Sir Barton Remains in Play
Godolphin homebred Proxy, most recently fourth in the Lexington (G3) April 10 at Keeneland, breezed Saturday at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. for his next start, which could come next weekend at Pimlico Race Course.

Proxy worked four furlongs in 49.20 seconds over the main dirt course at Fair Hill, third-fastest of 24 horses. The bay son of Tapit out of the Include mare Panty Raid – all Grade 1 winners – is nominated to the $100,000 Sir Barton for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the undercard of the 146^th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15.

In his most recent race, Proxy ran fourth in the Lexington (G3) April 10 at Keeneland, his fourth race this year. Proxy made his first three starts at Fair Grounds, finishing second in the LeComte (G3) and Risen Star (G2) before a fourth-place finish behind Hot Rod Charlie in the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Proxy won back-to-back starts at Fair Grounds in November and December after being beaten a neck on debut last October in an off-the-turf maiden event at Monmouth Park.

“He came out of the Lexington in great shape. He ran hard all winter. He ran five times down at the Fair Grounds and then we ran him right back kind of close in the Lexington. We're just giving him a little chance to catch up with himself and freshen him just slightly and look for a summer program for him,” trainer Michael Stidham said.

“We've got him nominated to multiple spots and we haven't really decided on which one,” he added. “Iowa Derby, Ohio Derby, all those different races, and we're not sure which one we're going to go for.”

The fastest half-mile breeze Saturday at Fair Hill was turned in by Proxy's stablemate Micheline, who completed the distance in 48.40 seconds. Godolphin's 4-year-old daughter of champion Bernardini win the 1 1/8-mile Hillsborough (G2) March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs and exits a sixth in the 1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley (G1) April 10 at Keeneland.

Micheline is nominated to the $150,000 Gallorette (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf, also part of the Preakness undercard.

“Both horses worked very well at Fair Hill. They're training well and doing well,” Stidham said. “We're looking at some different spots with them but nothing is set in stone yet.”

Stidham said Godolphin's Pixelate, caught in deep stretch and beaten a nose by Corelli in the 1 1/16-mile Henry S. Clark April 24 at Pimlico, was unlikely to come back in the $250,000 Dinner Party (G2) May 15.

“We're nominated to the Dinner Party but we're most likely not going to run just because it's a little close back,” he said.

Entries for the May 14 Black-Eyed Susan Day program will be taken Sunday, while entries for the May 15 Preakness Day program are due Monday.

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Saturday’s Preakness Update: Trio of Breezers at Belmont

Trainer Chad Brown sent out Klaravich Stables' duo of Crowded Trade (More Than Ready) and Risk Taking (Medaglia d'Oro) to breeze in company Saturday, while Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher had Whisper Hill Farm's Unbridled Honor (Honor Code) work in company with older graded stakes winner Fearless (Ghostzapper) at Belmont Park in preparation for next Saturday's GI Preakness S.

Risk Taking, winner of the GIII Withers S. and seventh-place finisher in the GII Wood Memorial S., worked outside of narrow GIII Gotham S. second and Wood Memorial third Crowded Trade, through five-eighths in 1:01.76 on a main track rated fast at 8:45 a.m. with the pair finishing together at the wire. Risk Taking was scratched out of Saturday's GIII Peter Pan S. in favor of the second leg of the Triple Crown.

“I thought they breezed super. It was just what I wanted,” Brown said. “I got them in 1:01 and even out in 1:13 and change. I was real happy with it.”

Brown added of Risk Taking, “His last two works were the best we've seen.”

As for Crowded Trade, he said, “He's only raced three times. He's run three really credible races and he's going in the right direction. He's had six weeks between races and I could see him running a really big race on Saturday.”

Unbridled Honor, runner-up in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S., worked outside of Fearless on Belmont's dirt training track at 9:30 a.m. The pair covered a half-mile in :49.75 and out in 1:02.1 with a long gallop out through the turn.

“I thought both horses worked well to the wire,” Pletcher said. “Fearless was particularly strong on the gallop out and I thought Unbridled Honor did well. I was happy with both of them.”

As for Unbridled Honor, Pletcher added, “We weren't really thinking Derby at that time [in the Lexington]. We were hoping for a good performance, which we got. He finished up well and he continues to improve with each start. He had a good pace to run at that day. Hopefully, it will be a contested pace at Pimlico.”

Fearless, winner of the GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S. and runner-up in the GII Oaklawn H., is being pointed to the GIII Pimlico Special S. May 14.

John and Diane Fradkin's homebred and El Camino Real Derby winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy), meanwhile, had his final timed workout in preparation for the Preakness Saturday morning, covering five furlongs in :59.80 seconds under jockey Flavien Prat at Santa Anita. “He worked in company, settled in a length behind the other horse, passed him coming to the eighth pole and went on about his business,” trainer Michael McCarthy said.

Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas has confirmed Ram (American Pharoah) as a starter for the Preakness. He won his second straight annexing an allowance on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard. “We realize he has to step forward to be effective,” Lukas said. “But when these horses are doing well, sometimes they'll step up and do what you want them to do. I always thought this horse had potential.”

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