Pletcher seeking 5,000th victory at Breeders' Cup

4,999.

That's Todd Pletcher’s career total of wins going into this week's races. If he doesn't clinch No. 5,000 before the Breeders' Cup starts on Friday — reaching a milestone only seven other trainers have hit — he will have five chances in the world championships.

“It’s a tribute to a lot of great horses over the years,” Pletcher said Tuesday. “A lot of hard work from a lot of people. It really takes a huge team to supervise all that, so we’re grateful, we’re hoping it happens soon.”

Pletcher had chances to hit 5,000 last weekend at Belmont but was unable to capitalize, which creates the opportunity to achieve history on one of racing’s biggest stages. The win also could happen in a Gulfstream Park claiming race on Thursday or the Bryan Station Stakes or Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes on Friday’s Keeneland undercard.

“It seems like a lot of times you get right on the cusp of the milestone and then have trouble getting through,” Pletcher said. “We had five chances at Belmont last weekend and we couldn’t quite get there, but I suppose if it were to happen in a Breeders’ Cup race, it’d be kind of cool.”

Pletcher’s first three Breeders’ Cup chances will come on Friday, when he will send out Mutasaabeq in the Juvenile Turf, Likeable in the Juvenile and Union Gables in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Pletcher had high praise for all of his young horses on Tuesday, including one who will make his stakes debut.

“Likeable is a horse we’ve always had high hopes for,” Pletcher siad. “We decided to train him up for this after his impressive maiden win at Belmont. Again, a very deep field, but we think he’s a quality horse who can run well here.”

On Saturday, Pletcher will have two runners, both under Luis Saez. Halladay will be first up in the Mile. The 4-year-old comes into the race off a victory in the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga in August.

“I think it speaks to how deep the fields are in the Breeders’ Cup,” Pletcher said of Halladay’s 12-1 odds on the morning line. “That’s what makes such a great gambling venue because you can have horses that you really like and get a very fair mutuel price on them.”

Pletcher will face 12-1 odds again in his final Breeders’ Cup race of 2020, when he sends out Valiance in the Distaff. The field will include 2018 Distaff winner Monomoy Girl and Preakness Stakes winner Swiss Skydiver.

“Valiance had a good win over the track,” Pletcher said of the filly’s victory in the Spinster (G1) at Keeneland on Oct 4. “That was kind of a lifetime best performance for her and she’s done great since then, but she needs to continue to move forward, take another step in the right direction to compete.”

The Breeders’ Cup races are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Keeneland.