Barn Tour: Pletcher regroups after busy Belmont day
Todd Pletcher's stable had a very busy Saturday, with eight starters in graded stakes races on Belmont Stakes day.
Known Agenda had the best showing of the bunch, finishing fourth in the Belmont Stakes.
Pletcher told Horse Racing Nation that the Florida Derby (G1) winner, who finished ninth in the Kentucky Derby, "seemed to come out of it very well. He looks good."
As for where Known Agenda will head next, Pletcher said that has yet to be decided. "We'll give it a couple of weeks."
That also is the plan for his other Belmont Stakes starters, Bourbonic (fifth) and Overtook (seventh), and for his other Belmont day starters, including Dr Post, who finished fifth in the Met Mile (G1).
Another Belmont Stakes day runner was Colonel Liam, who finished eighth in the Manhattan (G1), only his second loss in seven turf starts. He was the second choice behind winner Domestic Spending, who beat him in last year's Saratoga Derby. Those two had most recently finished in a dead heat in the Turf Classic (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
"He seemed to come back fine," Pletcher said. "I suspect he didn't like the cut in the turf course, but nothing else has shown."
As with the others, Pletcher has not settled on a next race for Colonel Liam.
But he did fill HRN in on plans for other stars in his stable.
Malathaat. The undefeated filly and winner of the Kentucky Oaks last out will start next in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga on July 24.
Sainthood. He was supposed to switch to turf for the first time in the Pennine Ridge (G3) on May 29, but the race was moved to dirt and he won anyway. Sainthood is slated to try again on the grass in the Belmont Derby Invitational on July 10.
Dynamic One. He was 18th in the Kentucky Derby after a second-place finish in the Wood Memorial (G2). "He's training at Belmont, resumed breezing this weekend." As for what is next, "we've got a lot of options. He's still eligible to an allowance race, something like the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga is possible. Just going to play it by ear."
Happy Saver. The undefeated 4-year-old made his 2021 debut with a win in an allowance race at Belmont on May 28 after going 4-for-4 last year, including a score in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). He will return to graded-stakes company in the July 3 Suburban (G3) at Belmont.
Promise Keeper. The Peter Pan (G3) winner last out is pointed to the Ohio Derby (G3), Pletcher said.
Valiance. The 5-year-old mare was set to make her 2021 debut in the Ogden Phipps (G1) on Saturday after a strong finish to 2020. But she was scratched with an elevated temperature. "We're just waiting for her to get well and resume training," Pletcher said. "Hopefully, that will be sooner than later."
Basin. He started the year with a win in the Sir Shackleton Stakes and came back with an eighth-place finish in the Churchill Downs (G1) on the Kentucy Derby undercard. He will start next in Saturday's Salvator Mile (G3) at Monmouth Park.
Shaftesbury. This 3-year-old Uncle Mo colt, sold for $675,000 as a yearling, broke his maiden on fifth try in April and finished 10th in an allowance race on Friday. "Didn't run great the other day, and so we're sort of regrouping at this stage."