Point - Counterpoint: Todd Pletcher vs Bob Baffert

Angela D'Amico:

Todd Pletcher began 2011 with an Eclipse Award in his hand and the best Three Year old in the nation in his barn. On the road to the Derby his horses won graded stakes including the Gotham Stakes, Sam F. Davis and the Timely Writer Stakes. Despite the first taste of defeat for Derby favorite Uncle Mo in the Wood Memorial, Todd Pletcher kept the Derby dream alive and planned on having him ready to go for the first Saturday in May.

Uncle Mo scratched late, but that did not stop Todd Pletcher from calling up another trainer to help secure a mount for his top pick jockey. Pletcher’s other horse, or Stay Thirsty did not win the Derby finishing way out of the money behind Pletcher’s favorite jock Johnny V. The Preakness and the Belmont eluded Pletcher as well, but he achieved redemption with Stay Thirsty in the Jim Dandy, not to mention a win in the Travers Stakes. Those wins, along with the Jockey Gold Cup and Breeder’s Cup Classic may give Pletcher the best horse in the U.S. right now. Did I mention he did this with a horse lovingly known as ‘the other horse’?

Now the horse that was supposed to give Pletcher’s barn a Horse of the Year award was off with what could have been a career ending illness. But Pletcher waited for his superstar to get well, skipped an allowance and ran him in the Grade 1 Kings Bishop where he ran incredible second thanks to Pletcher. That is just his young guys; I didn’t even touch on the ladies yet.

Pletcher won 4 stakes races this year with Awesome Maria, including a grade 1. Hilda’s Passion also gave Pletcher 4 stakes wins this year, including the grade 1 Ballerina Stakes. He has older horses as well, like Aikenite who helped Todd add two more grade 1 wins to his name this year. But what we all really look for is his two year olds, and it appears he may deliver again in 2-for-2 Overdriven and impressive maiden winning Stopshoppingmaria.

If you are looking for stats or titles, here they are for Todd. With Repole and Johnny sealing the deal in Saratoga, Pletcher was also given the trainer title there. The Belmont meet gave him a co-leader title, but a guy like Pletcher has enough trophies so he can share this one. He also took home the leading trainer title at Gulfstream and Aqueduct. Not too shabby and he still has Belmont to go!

So far this year, the Pletcher barn has tasted victory in 70 graded stakes races and he has big plans for his barn. It is quite possible that he will have six good chances to bring home a Breeder’s Cup trophy this year. He has Uncle Mo, Stay Thirsty, Sidney’s Candy, Buster’s Ready, Savvy Supreme and Stopshoppingmaria all possible to show up on Breeder’s Cup weekend.

I’m afraid it was just another year of Triple Crown dreaming for Todd Pletcher. I know this is a conversation about 2011, but you brought up the Derby, Angie. Bob Baffert has won 3 Kentucky Derbies, and 9 Triple Crown races. Meanwhile, Todd Pletcher has won 1 Derby and has a grand total of 2 victories in Triple Crown races. Statistics, in the big races, like that have to tell us something.

Baffert also began the year with expected stars in Misremembered and Jaycito, but both were derailed by physical setbacks. What did Baffert do? How about developing The Factor, Prayer For Relief, and Coil as three of the nation’s top 3yo males, as well as, First Dude and Game On Dudeas top handicap horses. Despite having far less horses in the stable than Pletcher, the stakes wins, and quality horses, just keep on coming for the silver-haired West Coaster.

I could say much the same about Baffert’s star, The Factor. His return in the Grade 1 Pat O’Brien was amazing. And speaking of great training feats, the work he did with First Dude was remarkable. This was a horse that needed the lead and could never win the big one. That is before he entered Baffert’s barn. Three come-from-behind victories later and First Dude was the highest rated older male in the nation.

I was hoping you would bring up the juveniles … Baffert is absolutely loaded once again this year. With Drill, Gun Boat, Secret Circle, and Candrea, just to name a few, he has many of the most promising juveniles in California. I am predicting big things for the Californian juveniles this year at the Breeders’ Cup and Baffert’s horses are a big reason why, and keep in mind many of these future stars were handpicked by Baffert for his owners.

Frankly with all the money and numbers Pletcher has, he should win training titles. I am more impressed with what Baffert does with less. As far as stats, Baffert has a higher win percentage and in-the-money percentage, and while Pletcher leads the nation in money won with $13.9 million, Baffert is third with $10.1 million. This translates into Baffert having earned 73% as much as Pletcher in 2011, despite having only 47% as many starters (778-364.) Looking at it another way Baffert has earned $27,815 per start, compared to Pletcher’s $17,785.

 Yes, a season of ups and downs is typical for all successful trainers, but I just think, in 2011, as in years before, Baffert has done it better. He simply wins more of the nations’ biggest races than Pletcher does with fewer horses in the barn. Let’s put it this way, if I owned a horse that was preparing for a big race, I know which trainer I would want. His name is Bob Baffert. Wouldn’t you?