Pletcher Holds Strong Hand in Dearly Precious

Trainer Todd Pletcher holds a strong hand in Sunday’s $75,000 Dearly Precious Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs with the inside-outside duo of WinStar Farm’s Savvy Supreme, and Blue Heaven Farm’s Maple Forest.

Savvy Supreme, a daughter of Distorted Humor who drew Post 1, is coming off a try in the one-mile Acorn Stakes (G1) at Belmont, where she finished last of six. Before that, she won a six-furlong overnight stakes in New York in front-running fashion.

Maple Forest, a Forestry filly who drew the outside Post 7, has done some of her best running at Monmouth. She was second in the Sorority here last year, and most recently was second behind Pomeroys Pistol in the Just Smashing Stakes on June 11. Pomeroys Pistol came back with a sharp second in the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes last weekend.

“Maple Forest ran hard in that last race, so she’s just had some easy maintenance breezes for this race,” said Anthony Sciametta Jr., who oversees the Pletcher horses at Monmouth.

“The race looks like it’s open, and she’s going into it the way we want her.”

Pletcher has named Elvis Trujillo to ride Savvy Supreme, and Joe Bravo gets a return engagement on Maple Forest.