Tag: Todd Pletcher

Life’s an Audible Pounces, Graduates at Second Asking

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Different surface. Different distance. Different pace scenario. Far different outcome for Life's an Audible (Audible) Saturday in the opener at Saratoga Race Course.

When her career debut at 1 1/16 miles on turf on July 30 was switched to the main track at one mile due to wet conditions, Life's an Audible was prominent for six furlongs, but weakened and ended up 21 lengths behind her Todd Pletcher stablemate Miz Sense (Street Sense.

Running 5 1/2 furlongs over a turf course rated as firm in her second start Saturday, the Repole Stable chestnut came from off the pace under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and beat the maiden special weight field by 1 1/4 lengths. Sent off at 7-1 in the field of 10 fillies, she reached the wire in 1:03.29 and paid $16.40.

It was the second consecutive day that Pletcher watched one of his 2-year-olds flourish in its second start. On Friday, Locked (Gun Runner), turned in a very professional performance for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm.

Bayare (Midshipman), the 2-1 favorite, and Echo Baybe (IRE) (Cable Bay {IRE}) set the early pace through fractions of :21.54 seconds and :45.38. Starting from Post 9, Ortiz worked Life's an Audible toward the inside. She got the job done in the stretch.

“Shortening up from an off-the-turf race; got some experience in there,” Pletcher said. “They went pretty fast early. She got out-footed a little bit in the beginning but picked it up nicely around the turn came with a good run down the lane.”

Repole purchased Life's an Audible for $200,000 at the OBS March sale. She was bred in Kentucky by Susan Moulton.

Ortiz was aboard for the July 30 race and figured that Life's an Audible would again be part of the pace scenario. Instead, she was about six lengths back after a quarter mile.

“She was quick last time, so I knew that she was going to be close, but they ran away from me early on,” he said.

Ortiz guided the filly closer to the rail and had her in position to make a late run.

“When she hit the clear she took off,” he said.

 

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.29, fm, 1 1/4 lengths.
LIFE'S AN AUDIBLE (f, 2, Audible–Catkins, by Data Link) was an early factor on debut but faded to be a well-beaten fourth at Saratoga in a rained-off one-mile event July 30. On the turf in a true sprint Saturday, the 7-1 shot took her time getting into stride and race in the back half of the field before moving up into the turn. Fanned out to be six wide past the quarter pole, the $200,000 OBS March grad rallied to the front inside the final sixteenth and got a bit of separation late to score by 1 1/4 lengths over first-time starter Tammy Lynn (Distorted Humor). Life's an Audible becomes the sixth winner for her freshman sire (by Into Mischief). Catkins has a yearling Tom's d'Etat colt, reported a Liam's Map filly this year, and visited Nashville for 2024. Sales History: $25,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV; $90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $64,050. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Repole Stable; B-Susan Moulton (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

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Quality Road’s Agate Road Defies All Logic In ‘Rising Star’ Turf Debut

Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's Agate Road (c, 2, Quality Road–Yellow Agate, by Gemologist) was hammered into even-money favoritism for his turf and two-turn debuts on the strength of a near-miss runner-up effort in a rained-off maiden Aug. 5. At the end of 8 1/2 very eventful furlongs Saturday afternoon at the Spa, the $650,000 Keeneland September purchase was named a 'TDN Rising Star'.

Drawn widest in a field of 10, Agate Road was behind the eight ball right from the opening bell, as he broke a good two paths to his outside, costing himself any shot at securing a forward position. To make matters a bit more complicated, he didn't take the first turn particularly well and settled near the tail of the field as 11-1 Ocala Rocket (Hard Spun) led them along at a moderate early clip. Racing with just two behind as they hit the backstretch, but still patiently handled by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Agate Road found himself with about eight lengths to find banking around the final turn, but was forced to take the scenic route, conceding ground to add to his trouble line through the opening 6 1/2 furlongs. But, switched out widest into the lane and despite being bothered by a shifting-out rival nearing the furlong grounds, Agate Road steamed home down the center of the course to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in a race he really had no business winning. He becomes the 15th 'Rising Star' for his sire.

Agate Road is the second winner from three foals to race out of Yellow Agate, a $70,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $210,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by China Horse Club who validated 13-10 favoritism in the GI Frizette S. in 2016. The mare is also responsible for Agate Road's year-older full-sister Plentitude, a maiden winner at first asking over the Tampa main in April track before taking an allowance sprinting over the Belmont turf course in June. She was most recently fourth in the Blue Sparkler S. at Monmouth July 8

The dam of the yearling filly Gin's Beach Road (Quality Road), a $650,000 acquisition by Live Oak at last month's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, Yellow Agate aborted her Constitution foal of 2023 before being bred once again to Quality Road.

6th-Saratoga, $105,189, Msw, 9-2, 2yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:46.79, fm, neck.
AGATE ROAD, c, 2, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Yellow Agate (GISW, $291,503), by Gemologist
2nd Dam: Lemon Sorbet, by Lemon Drop Kid
3rd Dam: Flabbergasted (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
Sales history: $650,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $78,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

O-Repole Stable & St Elias Stable; B-CHC Inc (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher.

 

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‘Locked’ and Loaded: Gun Runner Colt Secures ‘TDN Rising Star’ Honors at the Spa

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With this smashing victory in the fifth race Friday, Locked (Gun Runner) graduated summa cum laude with 'TDN Rising Star' honors from the 2-year-old maiden special weight ranks at Saratoga Race Course.

A month after his career debut went awry, Locked turned in a top-notch performance under Jose Ortiz, scoring by 7 1/4 lengths and covering the mile in 1:36. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said it is likely that the chestnut colt will run next in the GI Champagne S. or the GI Breeders' Futurity S.

Locked is co-owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm. He is out of the Malibu Moon mare Luna Rosa and was purchased for $425,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sale.

Eclipse chairman Brian Spearman said the colt really delivered in his second trip to the races.

“We ran him Whitney weekend up here, came in third, stumbled a little bit coming out,” Spearman said. “Todd has always thought very, very highly of him. We were hoping what we saw today would be exactly what we thought, so we're super excited.”

Locked found trouble at the start of the Aug. 5 race and ended up at the rear of the field of 10, but he did rally and managed to hit the board in the six-furlong contest. Pletcher said getting a second crack against maidens can be a benefit.

“I think sometimes it's better for their development,” Pletcher said. “In that debut he got a lot of dirt in his face. He got a lot of experience, a lot of education that paid off. He showed good tactical speed today, put Jose right into the race.”

Locked and Ortiz were bumped a bit leaving the gate, but promptly grabbed a pace-pressing position outside of Arteta (Take Charge Indy), who led the field through splits of :23.96 and :47.72. They moved to the front just under a half-mile from home and were never challenged.

“Jose said he was travelling very comfortably, all the way down the backside,” Pletcher said. “When he kind of squeezed him, he jumped underneath him and finished up impressively. The final time, I thought, was exceptional.”

Spearman said that Eclipse founder and president Aron Wellman, the decision-maker on purchases, identified the colt bred by Rosa Colasanti as a top prospect.

“He loved the horse from the beginning,” Spearman said. “He loved the confirmation. He talked about the pedigree. He loved the mare. For him, I think it was the total package and once he saw him at the sale I think he was convinced we've got to try to get this one. So we did.”

Locked was no surprise to bettors, who made him the 2-5 favorite. He paid $3.50 to win.

Although the result of the first race was disappointing, Pletcher said he was better for the outing.

“He did what a lot of first timers to do, climbed from the kickback,” Pletcher said. “But when he levelled off, he really came with a strong late run and an exceptional gallop out. He came back with two dynamite breezes afterwards. We've been pointing to this race since we knew it was here and we were expecting good things from him.”

5th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 9-1, 2yo, 1m, 1:36.00, ft, 7 1/4 lengths.
LOCKED, c, 2, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Luna Rosa, by Malibu Moon
                2nd Dam: Gabriellina Giof (GB), by Ashkalani (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Paola Quatraro (Ire), by Cure the Blues
Sales history: $425,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $70,350. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Walmac Farm; B-Rosa Colasanti (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

Locked (Gun Runner) became the eighth 'TDN Rising Star' for his leading young sire with a powerhouse performance at second asking at Saratoga Friday afternoon.

The Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm colorbearer wasn't much of a secret as the 3-4 favorite while stretching to a mile after rallying smartly from last after some trouble at the start to finish a very promising third sprinting on debut for Todd Pletcher at Saratoga Aug. 5 (Second Chances series).

Locked, a $425,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, bumped with a rival at the start this time, but was still away in good enough order to secure a perfect spot in an outside second. Ready to pounce beneath Jose Ortiz through fractions of :23.96 and :47.72, the chestnut could wait no longer, and took over with authority approaching the three-eighths pole. Locked hit the top of the stretch in complete control and was handed confidently down the lane en route to a 7 1/4-length tally over Drum Roll Please (Hard Spun) while stopping the timer in a sharp 1:36 flat.

Bred in Kentucky by Rosa Colasanti, Locked was produced by a winning half-sister to MGISW Gabby's Golden Gal (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW & GISP Always a Princess (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}). The Gun Runner/Malibu Moon cross is already responsible for GSWs Shotgun Hottie and Runninsonofagun. Locked is also bred similarly to MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner), who is out of a Flatter mare.

Locked's dam produced a colt by Caravaggio in 2022 and a filly by Tiz the Law this year. She was bred back to Early Voting. —Steve Sherack

 

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Friday’s Racing Insights: Miss Temple City’s First To Race Hits The Turf

1st-DMR, $82K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5fT, 6:00 p.m.
PERSIA (War Front), making her juvenile debut for breeder Ramona Bass and her son Perry, is the first offspring to race out of Miss Temple City (Temple City), who posted two of her three career Grade I wins against the boys. Purchased by Steve Young for $2.5 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2017, Miss Temple City is a full-sister to GSW Pricedtoperfection, herself a $775,000 FTKNOV grad. Trained by Richard Mandella, Persia will have the services of Hector Berrios.

Also entered is SF Racing homebred Gerwig (Kitten's Joy), who counts GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint hero Bobby's Kitten and MGSW Camelot Kitten as full-brothers. SF paid $350,000 for dam Celestial Woods (Forestry) in foal to Candy Ride (Arg) at FTKNOV in 2018  The chestnut filly will be ridden by Ramon Vasquez for trainer Tim Yakteen. TJCIS PPs

1st-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:10 p.m.
Robert and Lawana Low import Irish Gent (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) heads to the post in Saratoga's lidlifter, who they purchased at the Goffs September Yearling Sale for $479,645 after he sold as weanling for $147,155 at Goffs the previous November. The dark bay is the first to race for dam Indigo Butterfly (Fr) (Le Harve {Ire}), a half-sister to English SW & GSP So Will I (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) and to Group 2 winner Sand Vixen (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), the dam of GIII Saratoga Oaks and G2 Cape Verdi S. heroine With the Moonlight (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). TJCIS PPs

5th-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:26 p.m.
Tornado Road (Quality Road), a $1.15-million Keeneland September buy last year for BC Stables, debuts for D. Wayne Lukas with Tyler Gafflione in the irons. The dark bay colt's dam has produced two winners from three other foals to race, including GIII Dogwood S. victress and 'TDN Rising Star' Carribean Caper (Speightstown). Tornado Road's extended female family includes Horse of the Year A.P. Indy (Seatlle Slew) and champion older horse Lemon Drop Kid (Kingmambo). TJCIS PPs

6th-DMR, $82K, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 6 1/2, 8:37 p.m.
Back out at Del Mar, another first to the races homebred will be making her debut in Amerman Racing's Smell the Coffee (Arrogate). Produced by GI Longines Just a Game S. heroine Coffee Clique (Medaglia d'Oro), who is a half-sister to MGSW Admission Office (Point of Entry), the David Hofmans trainee will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez. TJCIS PPs

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