NEWS
Pletcher considering options after busy Sunday
Posted: Sunday, March 07, 2010 3:36 PM
by Dave Joseph
Shortly after 6:30 a.m. EST Sunday morning at Palm Meadows Training Center, Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Eskendereya breezed on the track and started a parade of classic hopefuls from the barn of Todd Pletcher.
With John Velazquez aboard, Eskendereya breezed a half-mile in :49.30. It was enough to have Pletcher thinking about running the Giant’s Causeway colt back on March 20 in the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
“I thought he worked very well,” Pletcher said. “We were looking for a half in :49 and, basically, that’s exactly what he did. He galloped out very well, like he always does. At this stage of the game, he’s doing everything the right way. Physically, he’s developing and the thing we were excited about is he seems to really like the distance.”
Pletcher said the Florida Derby is “our most likely scenario.”
“We still have a work to go but I don’t see a reason to change anything,” he said. “He’s doing so well and he’d run well at Gulfstream Park twice, so it’s the logical thing.”
Pletcher said if Eskendereya does not contest the Florida Derby, he probably will wait for the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) on April 3 at Aqueduct.
“Basically, we’re looking at four weeks from the Fountain of Youth to the Florida Derby and six weeks to the Kentucky Derby,” he said. “Are we better off to have four weeks from the Fountain of Youth or wait for the Wood? To me, weighing which would be best … if you look at it from the perspective that he ran in the ‘one other than [allowance race]’ and got six weeks to the Fountain of Youth and ran huge, well, obviously, he can run well with six weeks. So I’d rather take the safer play and run here on a track we know he likes and we’re likely to get better weather than shipping to New York.”
Pletcher was asked if he considered running Eskendereya in the Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 27.
“I can’t see uprooting him with what’s working so well here,” he responded.
Another of Pletcher’s colts tentatively scheduled for either the Florida Derby or Wood Memorial is Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) winner Rule, who breezed five furlongs shortly after 9 a.m. in 1:01.30.
“I thought he went extremely well,” Pletcher said. “I’m not sure if he’s going to go in the Florida Derby or not. Obviously, I would like to keep him and Eskendereya separated. But we’ll talk to the connections. The backup plan would be to run in the Wood Memorial if he doesn’t run in the Florida Derby.”
Super Saver, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2), worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 in company with stablemate Munnings. Pletcher said the colt breezed “super” and would probably run Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
Aikenite, third in the Fountain of Youth, pleased Pletcher a half-mile breeze in :49.
“[It was] a good work for him because he’s not always the most vigorous work horse,” Pletcher said. “Right now, the plan is to run him in the [Toyota] Blue Grass [Stakes (G1) on April 10]. He ran well in the [2009 Dixiana] Breeders’ Futurity [(G1) at Keeneland Race Course], so we’d love to get him back to Keeneland.”
Risen Star Stakes (G2) winner Discreetly Mine worked a half-mile in :49.30 and continues to be pointed to the Louisiana Derby.
Dave Joseph is a Florida-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
