Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Work All Week, The Pizza Man Among New Arrivals At Old Friends Retirement Farm

This week, Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Farm in Georgetown, KY, welcomed three new retirees, stakes winner all.

Work All Week, a seven-time stakes winner, was owned and bred by Richard and Karen Papiese and campaigned by trainer Roger Brueggemann. The Illinois-bred son of City Zip was the champion male sprinter of 2014 after capturing the 2014 GR 1 Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint. Work all Week was retired from racing in 2015 at the age of six due to a stress fracture in his right knee with a 13-4-1 record from 19 starts and earnings of $1,511,071. In addition to his Eclipse Award as outstanding male sprinter, Work All Week is a two-time Illinois Horse of the Year.

The Pizza Man, another star for Papiese and Brueggemann, is a multiple GR1 winner. By English Channel out of the Lear Fan mare I Can Fan Fan, The Pizza Man is the only Illinois bred to claim victory in both the GR1 Arlington Million (2015) and the GR1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (2016). He retired from racing in 2017 at the age of eight after being diagnosed with a chip in his left front ankle. He closed his career with 17 wins from his 36 starts and earnings of 2,158,941. Since retiring the Pizza Man enjoyed a second career as a stable pony for his former trainer.

Syndergaard, owned by the partnership of Eric Fein, Christopher McKenna, Harris Fein, Guri Singh, and Jerry Walia, was named after New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard. The New York-bred son of Majesticperfection – Magic Belle, Magical Thinking, was a dazzling 2-year-old under the tutelage of trainer Todd Pletcher, cinching his maiden outing at Saratoga and going on to capture the Funny Cide Stakes over the same oval. That same year he was second in the GR1 Champagne, which led to a start in the 2016 GR1 Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile, where he ended up 5th. He later moved to the barn of trainer John P. Terranova II. This year, the chestnut gelding was retired after his last start June 6 at Belmont Park with 17 Starts, 3 Wins, 4 places, 2 shows and earnings: $477, 269.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” said Old Friends President Michael Blowen. “I wish everyone could see the absolute joy expressed by The Pizza Man and Work All Week as they celebrate in their paddock. And Syndergaard is just gorgeous. Thanks to their owners for trusting us and their fans for all their support.”

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Pletcher Eyeing Runhappy Hopeful With Sharp Debut Winner Mutasaabeq

Following a highly impressive debut victory on the Runhappy Travers Day undercard at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Shadwell Stables' Mutasaabeq will attempt to make the grade in the Grade 1, $250,000 Runhappy Hopeful on Monday, September 7.

The Todd Pletcher trained son of Into Mischief, out of the Scat Daddy broodmare Downside Scenario, arrived at his career debut off two sharp bullet works from the gate, where he went five furlongs in 59.03 and a half-mile in 46.53.

Since his maiden win, he worked a half-mile in 48.88 seconds on Monday over the Saratoga main track.

In his career debut traveling 5 ½ furlongs, Mutasaabeq broke a step slow out of the gate, was four wide in pursuit and powered away to a 4 1/2-length score that garnered an 84 Beyer Speed Figure.

“He had been touting himself in the morning, so we were hoping for a good debut out of him. His first step isn't that quick, we knew that going in. But once he gets going, he gets to be pretty fast,” Pletcher said. “He seemed to emerge from his race well and so right now we're pointing towards the Hopeful. We're very pleased with him. He definitely has trained as though the stretch out won't bother him, so we're excited about the way he's doing and we're looking forward to it.”

Bred in Kentucky by BlackRidge Stables, Mutasaabeq was purchased for $425,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Pletcher is a three-time winner of the Runhappy Hopeful, scoring with Circular Quay (2006), Shanghai Bobby (2012), and Competitive Edge (2014).

On Saturday, Pletcher will be sending out Harrell Ventures' Halladay in the Grade 1, $400,000 Fourstardave Handicap at one mile over the inner turf at Saratoga.

The consistent 4-year-old son of War Front arrives at the Fourstardave after finishing fourth beaten 1 ¼ lengths in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch, where he tracked a slow pace in second behind gate-to-wire winner Somelikeithotbrown.

A two-time stakes winner going 1 1/16 miles over the Gulfstream Park turf, Halladay has only finished off the board twice in 13 starts.

Halladay has posted two half-mile breezes over the Saratoga main track since his last effort going 48.55 seconds in his most recent move.

“We'll play it on the break, but if he's the main speed we won't take that away from him,” Pletcher said. “He's been doing well. I liked his two breezes since the race. It's a very tough race, but hopefully he's able to step up.”

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Farm and Winchell Thoroughbreds, Halladay is out of two-time graded stakes winning Tapit broodmare Hightap.

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Pletcher Hoping Alydar Will Serve As Breakthrough Win For Spinoff

Wertheimer and Frere's Grade 2-placed homebred Spinoff, a veteran of last year's Triple Crown trail, swept to the lead on the far turn and turned back favored Endorsed through the stretch to earn his first stakes victory in Sunday's eighth running of the $85,000 Alydar at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

It was the third career win in the Alydar for Saratoga's leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. as well as Todd Pletcher, who moved into first place in the meet's trainer standings with his 16th victory at the summer stand.

Sent off at 3-1, Spinoff returned $8.40 for a $2 win bet. The 4-year-old Hard Spun colt covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.60 over a fast main track.

Spinoff won for the first time in four tries this year, having been beaten a neck when second in the Sunday Silence on May 17 over a sloppy track at Gulfstream Park. After coming up empty in a one-mile optional claiming allowance last out on July 2 at Belmont Park, he bounced back with a huge effort in the Alydar.

“He ran really well here last year in a mile and an eighth two-other-than and had a pretty rough trip last time and I think he ran better than it looked on paper,” Pletcher said. “We had good spacing to this and we had been pointing to it for a while. He's trained well and I thought we were going to get a good setup. The race kind of unfolded exactly how Irad and I talked about before the race and it's nice when it falls into place.”

Ortiz, Jr. settled Spinoff in the clear three wide as Its All Relevant, a winner of two straight and three of his last four races, was in front through a quarter-mile in 24.97 seconds and a half in 49.57, under moderate pressure from Bodexpress. Its All Relevant's lead shrunk as the field hit the turn and Spinoff and Bodexpress ranged up to challenge.

Spinoff came off the turn in front and was set down for a drive to the wire by Ortiz, Jr. as Endorsed, the 3-5 favorite who ran fourth in last year's Grade 1 Runhappy Travers, tried to mount his bid on the far outside but was unable to gain any ground. Spinoff crossed the wire 2 ¾ lengths in front, while there were 4 ½ lengths between Endorsed and Bodexpress in third followed by Backsideofthemoon and Its All Relevant. Tenfold was scratched.

Third in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special as a 2-year-old in 2018, Spinoff ran second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby to punch his ticket to the 2019 Kentucky Derby where he ran 18th. After skipping the Preakness, the chestnut showed up in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes and ran sixth, beaten only three lengths, before a failed bid on turf in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby. His sophomore season ended when he rolled home 5 ¾ lengths the best in a nine-furlong optional claiming allowance last August at Saratoga.

“It's rewarding,” Pletcher said of the Alydar win. “He's a horse we always had high hopes for. We placed him pretty ambitiously. He's always been right on the verge of breaking through so hopefully, as a 4-year-old, maybe he can take it to the next level.”

Pletcher also won the first running of the Alydar in 2013 with Vitoria Olimpica, and followed up with Rally Cry in 2017. Ortiz, Jr. was first with Farhaan in 2014 and Royal Posse in 2016.

“My horse ran a great race today,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “Last time, he got in a little trouble. He relaxed so well today, and the race set up for him. In the turn, he relaxed in the clear and when I asked him to go, I got plenty from him.”

Live racing returns Wednesday to Saratoga to open the fourth full week of racing with a 10-race program that includes the 104 th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Adirondack at 6 ½ furlongs for 2-year-old fillies in Race 9 at 5:17 p.m. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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Mutasaabeq Becomes Newest Rising Star For Into Mischief

Hammered down to 85 cents on the dollar off a worktab that shouted ready, Shadwell Stable’s Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief) was not the quickest out, but was fastest late as he raced away to score by 4 1/2 lengths and the ‘TDN Rising Star’ designation.

Drawn widest in the field of seven, the $425,000 Keeneland November weanling acquisition broke near the back of the pack and was under a hustling Luis Saez ride as American Gentleman (American Pharoah) showed the way through an opening couple of furlongs in :22.21. Responding to his jockey’s busy ride, Mutasaabeq rolled up four deep on the turn, challenged wide and hit the front in upper stretch and ran up the score from there. The Wesley Ward-trained filly Guana Cay (Air Force Blue) plugged on gamely late to be second.

While Mutasaabeq legged up for the debut over the Belmont training track in June and over the Oklahoma Training Track for his first couple of breezes in July, it was over the Saratoga main track that he truly showed some spark, working a best-of-17 five furlongs from the gate in :59 2/5 July 19 and capping his tab with a half-mile from the gate that was clocked in :46 2/5 (1/50) Aug. 1

A 16th Rising Star for Into Mischief, Mutasaabeq is out of a half-sister to MGSW Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy) who was acquired with this foal in utero for $180,000 at the 2018 Keeneland January sale. The winner has a yearling half-sister by California Chrome and a foal half-brother by Uncle Mo. Downside Scenario was most recently bred to Into Mischief’s GI Xpressbet Florida Derby-winning son Audible.

5th-Saratoga, $72,000, Msw, 8-8, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:03.55, ft.
MUTASAABEQ, c, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Downside Scenario, by Scat Daddy
2nd Dam: Grand Breeze, by Grand Slam
3rd Dam: Breeze Lass, by It’s Freezing
Sales history: $425,000 Wlg ’18 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,600. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Shadwell Stable; B-BlackRidge Stables LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.

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