Manhattan Dan Training for Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint

A new face in the Todd Pletcher barn, multiple-stakes winner Manhattan Dan is being trained toward a start in the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on the undercard of the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28.

Manhattan Dan, a 4-year-old son of Big Brown, won the Texas Glitter and Fisher Island Handicap during the Gulfstream Park Championship meet last year for a partnership group that included Platinum Seven LLC and Runner Runner Investments. 

He was previously trained by Gary Contessa and was being considered for a start at last year’s Royal Ascot meet when he was injured and went to the sidelines.

“We’ve had him seven or eight weeks and he has been training really well,” Pletcher said. “He’s a nice horse.”

Manhattan Dan worked Saturday at Palm Beach Downs, covering five furlongs in 1:01.60.

Pletcher said Mucho Macho Man victor Sonic Mule is likely go back to sprinting for his next start  after stretching out to win the longest race of his young career in Saturday’s  mile stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream.

“I’d lean toward backing him up in the Swale, but we’ll play it by ear,” Pletcher said. “He’s won three in a row now. He kind of got the confidence builder at Gulfstream West and then stepped up into the stake and now stepped up again with the stretch out in distance. He keeps doing everything we’re asking him to do.”

Source: Gulfstream Park