Saratoga tab: Fierceness drills for Whitney, Mindframe for later

Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher sent out his top two older horses for breezes over the Saratoga main track Saturday, but he told Daily Racing Form they will be in separate Spa races this month.

The 2023 champion 2-year-old colt Fierceness will go next Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney, and dual Grade 1 winner Mindframe will wait for the $1 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Aug. 31.

Fierceness completed his work after the first renovation break, and Mindframe headed out after the second break.

Repole Stable and Coolmore’s Fierceness completed his exercise to the outside of Grade 1-placed Dreamlike, with NYRA clockers catching the pair covering a half-mile in 49.4 seconds before Fierceness edged clear at the wire and galloped out strongly.

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“It was good,” Pletcher said. “With Fierceness, he had a really good work last week with a strong gallop-out, so we were looking to do a little less with a maintenance work. I thought he was moving really well and looked good, so we’re happy with that.”

Later in the morning, Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables’ Mindframe was among the first horses on the track following the 8:15 a.m. EDT renovation break. He worked a half-mile in 49.2 seconds per New York Racing Association clockers to the outside of impressive maiden winner Classicist.

“It was also a maintenance type of work, but the same thing. Moving really well and looked good,” Pletcher said.

With Fierceness expected to run in the 1 1/8-mile Whitney and Mindframe on the fence, Pletcher confirmed both horses will be entered on Sunday with the intent to run one horse.

“I think we will enter both with the idea that if all is well, we will probably just run Fierceness,” Pletcher said. “Six days is a long time in this business, so I want to keep all our options open. I wouldn’t think post position would weigh into it, we just want to make sure everyone is doing well all week, and as we know, things can happen. We wouldn’t want to not have the option to run Mindframe.”

Fierceness enters the Whitney off a runner-up effort to Raging Torrent in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on June 7 over a sloppy and sealed Spa main track. He kicked off his year with a track-record-setting victory in the Alysheba (G2) at Churchill Downs, and returns to Saratoga where he is 3-for-4, including last year’s Jim Dandy (G2) and Travers (G1).

Mindframe has shown versatility in his three starts this year, beginning with a win in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G1) in March and following with top-level triumphs in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs (G1) and nine-furlong Stephen Foster (G1) last out on June 28, both at the Louisville oval. He has raced once at Saratoga, finishing a game half-length second to Dornoch in last year’s Belmont Stakes.

Pletcher also provided an update on Whisper Hill Farm’s Leslie’s Rose, who won the Spa’s Shuvee (G2) on July 18 in her first win since taking the Ashland (G1) last April at Keeneland.

The daughter of Into Mischief was eased over sloppy and sealed footing in the Ogden Phipps (G1) on June 6 here, but rebounded with aplomb to post a 3 3/4-length win over Dazzling Move in the Shuvee.

Pletcher said a return to Grade 1 company next is likely for Leslie’s Rose, looking to the $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 23 here. The Personal Ensign offer a win and you're in berth to the Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Del Mar.

“She came back well, and she ran well, so I think that’s a logical target,” Pletcher said of the Personal Ensign. “It was a big win for her. It’s been a little frustrating because unfortunately, she just doesn’t care for a sloppy track. Both the Kentucky Oaks and the Phipps we caught storms on the way to the paddock, so hopefully we’ll get lucky and catch a fast racetrack.”

The $1.15 million purchase from the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale owns a consistent 10: 4-1-2 record with $743,800 in total purse earnings.