Tag: Todd Pletcher

Life Is Good rolled up a 112 Beyer Speed Figure and a 5 1/2-length victory in last month's John A. Nerud Stakes. He's the 6/5 morning line favorite to win one of the biggest older horse races in the country: The Whitney. (Image: NYRA Photo)

The Whitney: The Summer Proving Ground for Older Horses

You almost get the feeling that with Life Is Good and Olympiad heading the marquee for Saturday’s Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga, this 1 1/8-mile race sets up as more than one of the top older horse dirt races in the country. It sets up as a something-to-prove test. Because […]

Classic Causeway led this cavalry charge in last month's Belmont Derby. He is one of seven horses from that race in Saturday's Grade 1 Saratoga Derby. (Image: Coglianese Photos)

Classic Causeway Can’t Run Away And Hide in Saratoga Derby

This time, Classic Causeway won’t be sneaking up on the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby field as a 26/1 afterthought. That untested turf question mark is now an exclamation point. And thus, we have the biggest storyline for Saturday’s Saratoga Derby, the second leg of the New York Racing Association’s Turf Triple. […]

Wit and Jose Ortiz will move to grass for Friday's Grade 2 National Museum of Racing at Saratoga. (Image: Francesca Le Donne Photo/NYRA.com)

With Precedent and Pedigree, Wit Brings His Next Act to the Grass

As Todd Pletcher sees it with Wit, the turf pedigree is there. As he sees it through recency bias, moving him to grass has a good precedent. And as Pletcher sees it through recent history, why not? The Hall of Fame trainer moves his 3-year-old multiple graded stakes winner to […]

Early Voting worked out at Saratoga last week in preparation for Saturday's Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, the fourth race on this week's Cross Country Pick 5. (Image: Coglianese Photos/Janet Garaguso)

Jackie’s Warrior, Zandon, Early Voting Head Cross Country Pick 5

The return of Jackie’s Warrior to Saratoga and the return of Triple Crown veterans to the track highlight this week’s Cross Country Pick 5. This week’s Cross Country Pick 5 is light on the stakes. Only two make this week’s wager: the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes and the […]

Undefeated Corniche's first of two Grade 1 wins came in last fall's American Pharoah Stake at Santa Anita Park.He returns for his first race in nearly eight months in Friday's Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Champion Corniche Returns for Sophomore Debut in Amsterdam

Todd Pletcher wants to paint a like-father, like-son picture with Corniche. This explains one reason why he chose Friday’s Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes as the sophomore’s season debut. Last year’s Champion 2-Year-Old hasn’t run since going gate-to-wire in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall at Del Mar. That victory put […]

Nest finished all alone in Saturday's Grade 1 CCA Oaks -- 12 1/4 lengths ahead of her closest pursuer. The standout filly could run against the boys again in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes. (Image: NYRA Photo)

After CCA Oaks Win, Nest Could Challenge the Boys in the Travers

This time, Nest finished the job. There would be no yielding to her rival, Secret Oath. There would be nothing but vapor trails and dirt for Secret Oath and the rest of Saturday’s Grade 1 CCA Oaks field to absorb. Now, after Nest bludgeoned her rivals by 12 ¼ lengths […]

Clairiere (left) finally outdueled Malathaat in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps last month. It was the first time Clairiere beat her rival in five starts. The two duel again in Sunday's Grade 2 Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga. (Image: Chelsea Durand/NYRA.com)

It’s Malathaat vs. Clairiere Part the Sixth at the Shuvee Stakes

Clairiere and Malathaat share the same sire (Curlin) and the same breeder (Stonestreet Stables), so it’s only natural the two 4-year-old fillies share the same stage for the sixth time in Sunday’s Grade 2 Shuvee Stakes at Saratoga. As rivalries go, this one took a while. But these two ride […]

Secret Oath turned in a dominant performance in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks May 6. She has never lost to another filly in five races, a streak she puts on the line in Saturday's Grade 1 CCA Oaks at Saratoga. (Image: Coady Photography)

CCA Oaks Provides Another Glimpse of Secret Oath vs. Nest

There are actually five horses in Saturday’s featured Grade 1 CCA Oaks at Saratoga. But do not let yourself get bogged down by numbers. Let yourself get bogged down by details. Because this year’s CCA Oaks marks only the third time in the last 25 years the top-two finishers from […]

Andiamo a Firenze, a three-quarters brother to multiple graded stakes winner Firenze FIre, is one of the ones to watch in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga. That race concludes this week's Cross Country Pick 5. (Image: SR Photo/NYRA.com)

Saratoga’s First Grade 1, Deep Allowances, Head Cross Country Pick 5

Saratoga’s first Grade 1 of its 2022 Summer Meet opens this week’s New York Racing Association Cross Country Pick 5. The weekly sequence includes races from not only the Spa, but also from Ellis Park and Monmouth Park. Interestingly, those latter two tracks offer wagering options not available at Saratoga. […]

You'll see Malathaat (outside) run twice during Saratoga's 2022 season. Last year's Champion 3-Year-Old is likely to be favored in both the Grade 2 Shuvee and Grade 1 Personal Ensign. (Image: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher)

Champion Malathaat Ready for Two Saratoga Stakes Close-Ups

Of all the star horses expected to run at the 2022 Saratoga meet, Todd Pletcher said you’ll see his standout filly Malathaat twice at the Spa. The Hall of Fame trainer said his 4-year-old filly will run the Grade 2 Shuvee on July 24. That will tune up the Champion […]

Saratoga remains one of America's most iconic and picturesque sporting venues. It's 2022 season opens Thursday. (Image: Chelsea Durand)

Saratoga Brings Big Names, Big Money, Big Dreams to 2022 Season

The 2022 Saratoga season opens Thursday with full barns, the full attention of horseplayers around North America, and a full roster of A-list trainers, jockeys, and horses. It also opens with a full level of optimism that always follows the sport to the upstate New York hamlet. It’s the New […]

Emmanuel, seen her after winning the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge last month, was scratched from Saturday's Grade 1 Belmont Derby over a medication procedure gaff. Trainer Todd Pletcher was fined $1,000 for the procedure violation. (Image: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher)

Pletcher Fined for Medication Procedure Offense After Emmanuel Scratch

The fallout from Todd Pletcher scratching Emmanuel from Saturday’s Grade 1 Belmont Derby went beyond taking front-end speed out of the race. The Daily Racing Form reported Pletcher scratched Emmanuel for receiving three doses of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory within seven days of a race. Dr. Scott Palmer, the equine medical […]

Chad Brown won his seventh training title with a record 47 victories. (Image: NYRA Photo)

Chad Brown, Irad Ortiz Jr. Capture Belmont Park Training, Riding Titles

Chad Brown added to his record-extending seventh consecutive Belmont Park Spring/Summer training title when the conditioner racked up 47 victories. Brown’s 47 victories eclipsed David Jacobson’s 2013 mark of 44 set over a 56-day meet. Brown’s 47 came in 44 days. “My team should be very proud of themselves and […]

Nations Pride is one of five European invaders to Saturday's Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Belmont Park. He is the 5/1 second choice. (Image: Godolphin)

Yes, There’s a Heavy European Flavor to the Belmont Derby

Based on what we saw in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational last year, this European invasion wasn’t only predictable, it was expected. After supertrainer Aidan O’Brien sent Bolshoi Ballet across the Atlantic and into the Belmont Park winner’s circle in 2021, the British are definitely coming. So are the […]

Dynamic One comes into the Grade 2 Suburban off his first victory of 2022. The 4-year-old is sizzling trainer Todd Pletcher's best prospect to grab the conditioner he second Suburban title. (Image: Adam Coglianese/NYRA Photo)

Hot-Handed Pletcher Driving Dynamic One Into the Suburban

With the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes on the agenda, Todd Pletcher isn’t slowing down on making Belmont Park his personal playground. Not this weekend, when he sends out Dynamic One and Untreated in Saturday’s Suburban on Belmont Park’s closing weekend. The Suburban, which sends its 4-year-olds and up 10 furlongs […]

Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal suffered bone bruising coming out of the Belmont and will miss most of 2022. (Image: AJ Photo/NYRA.com)

Belmont Stakes Winner Mo Donegal Sidelined With Bone Bruising

You can scratch one Triple Crown race winner from future 2022 races, after Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal suffered bone bruising coming out of that victory that will cost him a large chunk of the rest of 2022. Mo Donegal came out of his three-length Belmont Stakes victory with the […]

Mo Donegal (6) beat his stablemate, filly Nest, to win Saturday's Belmont Stakes and give trainer Todd Pletcher his fourth Belmont Stakes. Pletcher's horses went 1-2 in the season's final Triple Crown race. (Image: Coglianese Photos)

Pletcher Reflects on His Belmont Stakes Exacta with Mo Donegal, Nest

Todd Pletcher didn’t know what was more satisfying to him as a trainer: winning the Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal for one of his top clients, Mike Repole, or winning the Belmont for the fourth time to tie fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. “Yesterday was why you do […]