Pletcher has runners for 6 Keeneland opening weekend stakes

Trainer Todd Pletcher has runners campaigning on four fronts this weekend, but the Racing Hall of Famer decided to spend the time in Lexington, where he has 10 runners entered in six stakes over three days at Keeneland.

The six stakes all are Breeders’ Cup challenge races, with the winners earning fees-paid berth into their respective races on Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita.

One 2-year-old who has been two turns is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm’s Locked, the morning-line favorite for Saturday’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1).

“He was impressive the time he went two turns at Saratoga,” Pletcher said of the colt’s 7¼-length victory going a mile in his second start. “One reason he came here and Fierceness stayed in New York for the (one-turn, one-mile) Champagne (G1) is that I thought the Champagne suited him better with the one start. It worked well that we could find a Grade 1 for both of them.”

Locked will start from the outside in post 9 and could give Pletcher victories in the race in consecutive years. He won with eventual champion Forte last year for his third win in the race and first since he went back to back in 2013 and 2014 with We Miss Artie and Carpe Diem.

Pletcher will have two runners in the $1 million Turf Mile (G1) in defending champion Annapolis, owned by Bass Racing, and Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Up to the Mark.

Up to the Mark, daylight winner of the Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs and the Manhattan (G1) at Belmont Park, will be making his first start since June 10.

“The timing of this race was good. We had a little hiccup with him and missed the Arlington Million (G1),” Pletcher said. “He has had six good works.”

The Turf Mile is a win-and-you’re-in race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile. Up to the Mark’s past two victories came at 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4 miles, and he is considered a possibility for the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at 1 1/2 miles.

“We’ll make that decision after the race,” Pletcher said. “In a perfect world, there would be a race at a mile and a quarter.”

On Sunday, champion Nest returns to Keeneland for the Spinster (G1), a win-and-you’re-in race for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She is owned by Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House.

“We know she likes this track,” Pletcher said of Nest, who last year was the daylight winner of the Ashland (G1) and the favorite and fourth-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland. “We feel good about her that we got two races in her.”