NEWS
Advice, Join in the Dance give Pletcher triple threat
Posted: Monday, April 27, 2009 1:56 PM
ADVICE
PatLangPhoto.com/Keeneland
by Jeff Lowe
Todd Pletcher already considered Dunkirk to be the best prospect he has had for an elusive victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). Pletcher’s opportunity multiplied on Monday when Advice confirmed his place in the Derby field and Join in the Dance inherited a spot with the defection of Quality Road.
While Dunkirk traveled from Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida to Kentucky on Monday, Advice and Join in the Dance put in final tune-ups at Churchill Downs.
Advice breezed a half-mile in :47.20, which satisfied Pletcher that the Chapel Royal colt will be ready to wheel back two weeks after his victory in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2).
Advice’s workout was delayed by an accident in the stretch involving two unraced horses from other stables. Advice and Take the Points, another three-year-old colt, returned to Pletcher’s barn while the injured horses were treated.
“He was on the track, and at that time we made a decision to bring him back to the barn and let him settle down and relax and get the accident cleaned up,” Pletcher said. “It actually worked out okay that he was able to come back and regain his composure and go back out.
“I thought Advice worked very well,” Pletcher continued. “I had him in :47.40, the last quarter in :23.20 and a good, energetic gallop out. He certainly showed us that he bounced out of the Lexington in good shape. He also showed us that he handled the track very well.”
Pletcher has not named a jockey for Advice, who was guided by Garrett Gomez in the Lexington. Gomez will ride Pioneerof the Nile in the Derby.
With Quality Road out, Join in the Dance moved up from 21st on the graded stakes earnings list, which determines the Derby field when the entry box exceeds the maximum of 20 starters.
Join in the Dance breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20. Pletcher said jockey Chris DeCarlo would most likely have the mount, replacing John Velazquez, who instead will ride Santa Anita Derby (G1) third-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff.
Join in the Dance finished fifth under Velazquez in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 11 at Keeneland Race Course after a close runner-up effort in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3).
“John Velazquez didn’t feel like the track suited him that day [in the Blue Grass],” Pletcher said. “Obviously, he’s a speed horse and it was one of the days at Keeneland where speed wasn’t particularly good. It’s interesting the way the Polytrack works. One day speed will hold up and another day it won’t. That day it didn’t.”
Pletcher had not had a chance to tell co-owner Rashard Lewis of the Orlando Magic that Join in the Dance was in the Derby field.
“Rashard was busy last night trying to take the [Philadelphia 76ers] down,” Pletcher said, referring to Sunday night’s National Basketball Association playoff game.
Take the Points, the fourth-place finisher in the Santa Anita Derby, could make it a quartet for Pletcher in the event of another defection. The Even the Score colt is next in line with $85,000 in graded stakes earnings. He breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20.
Jeff Lowe is a THOROUGHBRED TIMES staff writer
