Pletcher's Stakes Horses Locked and Loaded
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Todd Pletcher's diverse group of stakes contenders are locked and loaded for their respective black-type assignments next weekend at Belmont Park, the trainer reported.
Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt winner Rock Fall is a go for the Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh on September 26 after breezing a half-mile in 49.21 seconds over the training track on Saturday.
"He worked really well, he seems to be maintaining form," Pletcher said. "He's on target. He's been remarkably consistent and it's been a lot of fun to see him develop into a top-class sprinter."
The 4-year-old son of Speightstown has strung together a six-race winning streak from seven career starts since breaking his maiden in May of 2014, comfortably stepping up to stakes competition with a 3 ¾-length victory in the Grade 2 True North in June before edging multiple graded stakes winner The Big Beast by a nose in the Vanderbilt on August 1 at Saratoga to earn a berth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup TwinSpires Sprint.
Rock Fall was joined on the worktab by his fellow Grade 1-winning stablemate Curalina, who covered the four-furlong distance in 49.49 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame.
Coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Alabama, Curalina had posted four consecutive victories in 2015, including Grade 1 scores in the Acorn, where the sophomore filly by Curlin overcame a troubled start to win by a neck in her stakes debut, and the Coaching Club American Oaks in which she was elevated to first-place after the disqualification of I'm a Chatterbox.
"I thought she worked very well and right now the plan would be to go [to the Beldame] if all the connections agree," Pletcher said.
Grade 2 winner Azar breezed a half-mile in 50.19 seconds ahead of a likely bid in the Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim. The 2-year-old son of Scat Daddy made his debut in July, finishing seventh in a six-furlong turf sprint before stretching out to 1 1/16 miles on the grass, resulting in a second-place maiden special weight finish and a three-quarter-length victory in the With Anticipation this summer at the Spa.
"Right now it looks like we're going to the Pilgrim but we haven't decided for sure," Pletcher reported. "He came out of [the With Anticipation] well. I thought it was a big effort for a maiden to win a stakes. He seems to have improved with each start, so I hope he continues on that pattern."
Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt winner Rock Fall is a go for the Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh on September 26 after breezing a half-mile in 49.21 seconds over the training track on Saturday.
"He worked really well, he seems to be maintaining form," Pletcher said. "He's on target. He's been remarkably consistent and it's been a lot of fun to see him develop into a top-class sprinter."
The 4-year-old son of Speightstown has strung together a six-race winning streak from seven career starts since breaking his maiden in May of 2014, comfortably stepping up to stakes competition with a 3 ¾-length victory in the Grade 2 True North in June before edging multiple graded stakes winner The Big Beast by a nose in the Vanderbilt on August 1 at Saratoga to earn a berth in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup TwinSpires Sprint.
Rock Fall was joined on the worktab by his fellow Grade 1-winning stablemate Curalina, who covered the four-furlong distance in 49.49 seconds in preparation for the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame.
Coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Alabama, Curalina had posted four consecutive victories in 2015, including Grade 1 scores in the Acorn, where the sophomore filly by Curlin overcame a troubled start to win by a neck in her stakes debut, and the Coaching Club American Oaks in which she was elevated to first-place after the disqualification of I'm a Chatterbox.
"I thought she worked very well and right now the plan would be to go [to the Beldame] if all the connections agree," Pletcher said.
Grade 2 winner Azar breezed a half-mile in 50.19 seconds ahead of a likely bid in the Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim. The 2-year-old son of Scat Daddy made his debut in July, finishing seventh in a six-furlong turf sprint before stretching out to 1 1/16 miles on the grass, resulting in a second-place maiden special weight finish and a three-quarter-length victory in the With Anticipation this summer at the Spa.
"Right now it looks like we're going to the Pilgrim but we haven't decided for sure," Pletcher reported. "He came out of [the With Anticipation] well. I thought it was a big effort for a maiden to win a stakes. He seems to have improved with each start, so I hope he continues on that pattern."
* * *
A field of eight up-and-coming juveniles seems likely for Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, headed by the Todd Pletcher-trained Azar and Billy Cowans' Next Shares, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Grade 2 With Anticipation on September 2 at Saratoga. Expected to join them are recent maiden winners Brass Compass, Eidmilaad, Highland Sky, andIsotherm, along with British import Ray's the Bar, who won first time out in July at Ascot and Dissident, third as the favorite in a maiden turf event at Saratoga last time out. Possible are the filly Enjoy Yourself, winner of a maiden race in August at Gowran Park who is also nominated to the Miss Grillo, and Championofthenile, six-length victor in a New York-bred maiden sprint on the dirt at the Spa.
Top-class sprinters will put the pedal to the metal in the Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh, led by Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt winner Rock Fall for trainer Todd Pletcher. Likely to join the mix are multiple graded stakes winners Clearly Now, Salutos Amigos and Wildcat Red. John Morrissey winner Moonlight Song, Tale of the Cat victor Stallwalkin' Dude are also probable, while Favorite Tale, most recently third in the Vanderbilt, and Palace, third in last year's Vosburgh following a pair of Grade 1 wins last summer at Saratoga, are possible.
Eclipse Thoroughbred's Curalina is likely to take on older fillies and mares in the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame, contested at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Wedding Toast, winner of this year's Grade 2 Ruffian is expected to make her first start since her five-length victory in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps. Summer Colony winner Catch My Drift, 9 ¼-length Saratoga Dew hero Hot Stones, multiple graded stakes winner House Rules are also probable. Call Patt and Holiday's Jewel are possible.
Multiple graded stakes winner La Verdad will look to lead the charge of fillies and mares in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs. Expression, Room for Me, Street Story, Wavell Avenue and Willet are likely contenders. Frivolity and Kiss to Remember are also possible.
The Grade 3, $200,000 Miss Grillo will take top billing on Sunday at Belmont, and is likely to feature a full field of 2-year-old turf fillies.
Harmonize, a four-length winner of the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga, is probable for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and owner Larkin Armstrong. Thrilled, runner-up in the P.G. Johnson, is also likely.
Rounding out the list of probables are Belvoir Bay, Breakfast Time, Lemon Liqueur, Llanita, Taleofsixtythree, Time and Motion and Tin Type Gal. Archarella and Look Who's Talking are possible.
A pair of New York-bred stakes races for 2-year-olds - the $150,000 Bertram F. Bongard and the $150,000 Joseph A. Gimma - will join the Miss Grillo on Sunday'sprogram.
The Bongard could be a loaded race, with stakes winners Manipulated and Sudden Surprise and impressive maiden winner Get Jets all likely for the race.Steve's Image completes the list of probable starters, while Championofthenile, Governor Malibu and Pagan are possible.
The Bongard's filly counterpart, the Joseph Gimma, is also likely to attract a talented field headed by Seeking the Ante runner-up Super Surprise for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Others likely to enter are Ben's Girl, Crowd Control, Frosty Margarita, Melodic and Surprise Cameo. Preying Mantis is possible.
Source: NYRA Communications
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