Pletcher Sends Talented Trio to Donn Handicap

Trainer Todd Pletcher is scheduled to saddle three horses for Saturday’s $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1) in a quest to register his fourth career success in Gulfstream Park’s premier event for older horses.

The 11-time defending training champion of Gulfstream’s Championship Meet visited the winner’s circle with Graydar (2013), Quality Road (2010) and Harlan’s Holiday (2003) following victorious performances in the 1-1/8-mile handicap, the first Grade 1 stakes for older horses on the 2015 national racing calendar.

Pletcher has three strong candidates in the Donn in Constitution, the 2014 Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1) winner; Commissioner, the 2014 Belmont Stakes (G1) runner-up; and Protonico, the runner-up in the Clark Handicap (G1) in his 2014 finale. Blessed with a large stable fueled by an abundance of talent, Pletcher is often faced with running multiple stablemates in a stakes. The 47-year-old seven-time Eclipse Award winner views the Donn as an opportunity too important for any of his three horses to pass up.

“It’s not a difficult situation for us. When we have the options, we always like to keep as many horses separated as possible. In this particular case, it seemed like the right race for each individual horse and their ownerships,” Pletcher said. “Being a Grade 1 and being a prestigious race, we felt it was the right move to run all three. We’re fortunate enough to be in this position.”

Pletcher will we well-represented with single entries in three other stakes Saturday, scheduled to saddle Fort Lauderdale (G2) victor Mshawish for the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1), Tropical Park Oaks winner Sandiva for the $150,000 Suwannee River (G3), and late-developing Race Day for an attempt to win his fourth straight race in the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3).

Blue Tone Takes Tour of Gulfstream Track

Multiple graded stakes-placed Blue Tone galloped over Gulfstream Park’s main track for the second straight day on Friday morning in advance of his start in Saturday’s $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1).

Owned by Beverly Engelberg, Schoeder Farms and Jan Steeper, Blue Tone will be racing for the first time outside of California, where he has four wins and $285,750 in purses from 12 starts. It marks a return to South Florida for Bob Hess Jr., who was stabled at Gulfstream the previous four winters.

“I love it here. The weather’s great and the track looks great. It looks softer to me than it did in the past,” Hess said. “Maybe he’ll like the softer track here as opposed to southern California. There might be something there. Maybe Gulfstream Park will bring out the best in him.”

A gelded 6-year-old son of Belmont (G1) and Travers (G1) winner Birdstone, Blue Tone missed his first two racing seasons with minor ailments before making his career debut in April 2013 at Santa Anita.

“We bought him as a yearling hoping he’d be a top 3-year-old, and he didn’t even get a chance to run until he was four,” Hess said. “There were just little things, never any big deal; just tiny little things. Since then, he’s been incredibly healthy, especially for a fast horse. He’s very, very healthy.”

All of Blue Tone’s victories have come over synthetic surfaces at Del Mar and the defunct Hollywood Park. Most recently he was third by two lengths behind Grade 1 winner Hoppertunity in the San Pasqual (G2) January 10 on the Santa Anita dirt. Before leaving for Gulfstream, he breezed five furlongs in 59 seconds on Sunday at the Arcadia, Calif. track, fastest of 59 horses.

“He’s doing really well and he’s coming off one of his lifetime best works,” Hess said. “The last race, I think maybe if there had been more pace in the race or had we laid third or fourth he might have run better. But Hoppertunity’s a good horse so there’s no shame in running third to him.

“I liked him going in and I think had we not got caught in that pace duel he might have pulled it off,” he said. “The big questions mark is he’s never won on dirt. I think it’s been more circumstances than the horse not liking dirt, but then again you need to win on it at some point.” 

Source: Gulfstream Park Notes