Pletcher: Coal Front's aim a 'consistent schedule' after setbacks

Trainer Todd Pletcher said next-race plans are pending for lightly raced Coal Front, a neck winner of Monday's $500,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) for older horses at 1 1/16 miles in his seasonal and two-turn debut at Oaklawn Park.

Coal Front, among four Pletcher horses flown back to their south-Florida base Tuesday, raised his career earnings to $777,280 after winning for the sixth time in eight starts. 

A 5-year-old son of Stay Thirsty, Coal Front’s career has been interrupted twice, Pletcher said, because of fractures in both front legs. The second setback, necessitating a 13-month layoff, came after a victory in the $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (G3) in September 2017 at Parx.

“Since he was a 2-year-old, man, he’d show up in the mornings and did all the work very fast,” said Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who has ridden Coal Front six times, including the Razorback. “He did everything a good horse was meant to be. Obviously, all his problems and other things that happened to him really set him back, unfortunately, because he was definitely meant to be a really good horse.”

Coal Front earned a preliminary Beyer Speed Figure of 93 for his Razorback victory, the ridgling’s fourth graded stakes score. Coal Front, exiting a 3 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at 7 furlongs Dec. 22 at Gulfstream Park, was able to secure a stalking position Monday after breaking from post 14 in the 14-horse field.

“Confident the way he was training that he was ready to try to stretch out,” Pletcher said. “Happy to see him do it. He’s a really, really nice horse. He’s had a few setbacks along the way. It’s nice to see him try to put together a consistent schedule. Hopefully, he can continue to do that.”

Coal Front is owned by Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners LLC, also partners in multiple Oaklawn stakes winner and 2018 Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up Whitmore.