Pletcher sets target races for older stars Vino Rosso, Marconi

A 4-year-old from the Todd Pletcher barn who has hit his best form of late, Vino Rosso will point to the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on August 3 at Saratoga.

Pletcher said Vino Rosso will breeze for the first time Saturday since his Memorial Day victory in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1).

"Heading into California we were keeping an eye on a number of different options before entering the Gold Cup, and it just seemed like he was doing right and ready to run," Pletcher said. "The travel arrangements worked out easily and it just seemed like the right race to try."

The Gold Cup score gave Vino Rosso a 1 1/4-mile victory over the same track as the November 2 Breeders' Cup Classic is scheduled to run later this year.

A Curlin colt, Vino Rosso won his first two starts as a juvenile before capturing last year's Wood Memorial (G2) for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. He then wrapped up his 3-year-old campaign with a fifth-place running in the Travers Stakes (G1).

He has visited the winner's circle twice in three starts this year, winning the Stymie on March 9 at Aqueduct before the May 27 Gold Cup.

Another major probable for the Whitney is back-to-back Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Thunder Snow.

Before Vino Rosso runs back, Pletcher will saddle another top older male from his barn in Marconi, who's pointing toward the July 6 Suburban (G2) at Belmont Park after making last Saturday's Brooklyn Invitational (G2) his first graded stakes win for owners Bridlewood Farm, Mr. and Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith

"He actually came back really well," said Pletcher. "He was quite full of himself even the morning after for having run in the last race of the day. At six the next morning he was rearing to go."

Purchased for $2 million as a yearling at the Keeneland September Sale, Marconi broke his maiden in his second start in 2017 at Aqueduct as a juvenile and didn't reach the winner's circle again until March of this year in his seventh career start, with a victory in the Skip Away at Gulfstream Park. 

Since then, he was won back-to-back races at Belmont with victories in the Flat Out on May 9 and in the Brooklyn.

"He's really matured and come into his own," said Pletcher, adding that after the Brooklyn, "we'll go toward targeting a summer campaign for him from there."

In the Suburban, Marconi is likely to meet multiple Grade 1 winner Catholic Boy.