Horse Racing Capsules: Pletcher using spread offense to get to Derby
NEW YORK — Todd Pletcher is going to the spread offense.
Many of the trainer's top 3-year-olds will be strategically deployed over the next few weeks in a move to win races, earn money and run in the Kentucky Derby on May 1.
Some big plays may unfold as early as Saturday, when Pletcher plans to send out Super Saver in the Tampa Bay Derby and Interactif in the San Felipe Stakes.
The following week likely offers rising stars Eskendereya and Rule in the Florida Derby, plus Ibboyee in the undercard Swale Stakes.
A week later, on March 27, it's Discreetly Mine and Mission Impazible in the Louisiana Derby and Connemarra in the Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park.
With 20 horses nominated to the Triple Crown races, this could be the year Pletcher ends his 0-for-24 record at the Derby.
Lookin At Lucky, who is not trained by Pletcher but by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, remains No. 1 in The Associated Press' latest Run to the Roses Top 10 list of Derby contenders. The 2-year-old champion makes his long-awaited 2010 debut in Saturday's Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
England-based Awesome Act is the lone new entry, debuting at No. 5 following an impressive 1¼-length win in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct — the colt's first race in four months and first on a dirt track.
"It's the first hurdle out of the way, so the dream lives on," Awesome Act's trainer Jeremy Noseda said. "
Pletcher trains three of the top six contenders in No. 2 Eskendereya, No. 4 Rule and No. 6 Discreetly Mine. He'd prefer to keep his horses from running against each other until the Derby, but he just may have too many.
Eskendereya and Rule worked out at Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach, Fla., on Sunday, and Pletcher said he was quite satisfied.
Among those expected to challenge Lookin At Lucky in the Rebel are No. 8 contender Dublin and Noble's Promise.
In the San Vicente, Interactif takes on San Vicente winner Sidney's Candy, Robert B. Lewis winner Caracortado and runner-up Dave in Dixie, and Baffert's Tiz Chrome.
Super Saver will meet up with Odysseus, Schoolyard Dreams and Uptowncharlybrown in the Tampa Bay Derby.
Saturday also features the 2010 debuts of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and unbeaten Zenyatta. Rachel runs in the New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds, and Zenyatta in the Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita. The two are scheduled to meet for the first time in the $5 million Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn on April 9.
In Saturday's other Derby prep, Alphie's Bet was a surprise 2¼-length win over Setsuko in the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita. Next up could be the Lane's End on March 27 at Turfway Park or the Blue Grass a week later at Keeneland.
Also last week, Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Vale of York finished a disappointing fifth in his 3-year-old debut at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, but may get another chance to prove himself Derby worth in the UAE Derby on March 27.
1. Lookin At Lucky (Bob Baffert, trainer; Garrett Gomez, jockey): Lookin' good for 3-year-old debut in Rebel ... First dirt test will be telling ... Worked 5 furlongs in 1:01.20 Monday at Santa Anita ... Next start: Rebel (Saturday, Oaklawn Park, dirt) ... Derby future wager odds: 9-1.
2. Eskendereya (Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez): Fountain of Youth win upped record to 3 for 5 ... Worked 4 furlongs in 49.30 at Palm Meadows on Sunday ... Next start: Florida Derby (March 20, Gulfstream, dirt) ... Odds: 5-1.
3. Conveyance (Baffert, Gomez): Unbeaten gray colt worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita last week ... Won San Rafael on synthetic, then took Southwest on dirt ... Next start: Wood Memorial (April 3, Aqueduct, dirt) ... Odds: 28-1.
4. Rule (Pletcher, Velazquez): Sam F. Davis winner worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 1/5 at Palm Meadows on Sunday ... Next start: Florida Derby ... Odds: 20-1.
5. Awesome Act (Jeremy Noseda, Julien Leparoux): Dirt debut win in Gotham puts European-based colt on trail ... Son of '98 BC Classic winner Awesome Again to remain in New York ... Next start: Wood Memorial ... Derby odds: 3-1 (mutuel field).
6. Discreetly Mine (Pletcher, Javier Castellano): Risen Star winner preparing for next trip to the Big Easy ... Next start: Louisiana Derby (March 27, Fair Grounds, dirt) ... Odds: 37-1.
7. Jackson Bend (Nick Zito, Calvin Borel): First or second in all eight career starts ... Runner-up in last two, Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth ... Next start: Wood Memorial ... Odds: 47-1.
8. Dublin (D. Wayne Lukas, Terry Thompson): Four-time Derby winning trainer has real threat in this speedster ... Southwest runner-up worked 5 furlongs in 59.60 at Oaklawn on Sunday ... Next start: Rebel ... Derby odds: 10-1.
9. Tempted to Tapit (Steve Klesaris, David Cohen): May have only a maiden win, but Risen Star runner-up finish Feb. 20 merits attention ... Worked 4 furlongs in 47.60 at Gulfstream on Saturday ... Next start: Louisiana Derby ... Odds: 63-1.
10. Radiohead (Rick Dutrow, Edgar Prado): Allowance win at Gulfstream vs. tough field puts him on Derby trail ... Next start: Florida Derby ... Odds: 19-1.
Keep an eye on: American Lion, Caracortado, Connemara, Noble's Promise, Super Saver.
Rachel Alexandra to face 4 rivals in 2010 debut
NEW ORLEANS — The wait is almost over for Rachel Alexandra.
The 2009 Horse of the Year will face four rivals when she makes her first start in six months in Saturday's $200,000 New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds.
The 4-year-old filly drew the No. 2 post position Monday and regular rider Calvin Borel will be aboard. Rachel will be challenged by Fighter Wing, Zardana, Unforgotten and Clear Sailing.
Rachel Alexandra completed an 8-0 campaign last year with a victory against older males in the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 5. Rachel also won the Preakness and the Haskell Invitational against 3-year-old males.
Against 3-year-old fillies, she won the Kentucky Oaks by 20¼ lengths and the Mother Goose by 19¼ lengths.
In the 1 1-16-mile Ladies, the filly trained by Steve Asmussen faces a field of 4-year-old fillies and mares. Her most formidable foe could be Zardana, a 6-year-old mare bred in Brazil who won the 2009 Bayakoa Handicap.
She is trained by John Shirreffs, who also trains unbeaten Zenyatta, the Breeders' Cup Classic winner preparing to face Rachel Alexandra in the $5 million Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park on April 8. Zenyatta makes her first start of the year in Saturday's Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita.
Fighter Wing, who drew the rail, set the pace in the Pelleteri Stakes last month at the Fair Grounds before finishing second to Clear Sailing. Unforgotten has earned more than $500,000 with several stakes wins.
Rachel Alexandra breezed 4 furlongs in 49 seconds Monday in her final work before the race.
Asmussen said Rachel "went beautiful ... did very well, looked good." The workout was Rachel's seventh this year.
Deal calls for $1M a day purses at Monmouth Park
TRENTON, N.J. — State officials and New Jersey horse racing industry leaders say they have reached an agreement to reduce the number of racing dates at Monmouth Park this summer but boost purses to $1 million a day, tops in the nation.
Under the agreement reached Monday, the track will conduct a 50-day meet, racing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus three Monday holidays, from May 22 to Sept. 11.
An official announcement is expected Tuesday.
The state Legislature will have to approve the amended racing calendar.
The plan also calls for a 21-day fall meet at Monmouth with lesser purses. The fall thoroughbred meet at the Meadowlands Racetrack would be eliminated.
