Vinery Australia acquires major interest in Pluck

Pluck is being pointed toward the Irish Two Thousand Guineas next spring (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) A partnership led by Vinery Australia has purchased a major share in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) winner PLUCK (More Than Ready), and the Team Valor homebred is expected to enter stud in Australia when his racing career is over. His sire, More Than Ready, shuttles to Vinery Australia and is a leading stallion in the Southern Hemisphere. “Because Pluck is by More Than Ready, we were contacted by a few farms in Australia,” Team Valor’s Barry Irwin explained. “We decided to go with Vinery because they have a great reputation as a stud farm, and they were willing to allow us to carry on with our projected program for next season, which has as its centerpiece an attempt to win the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1).”

Pluck has bankrolled $725,440 from a 5-3-0-1 scorecard. A distant third in
his debut in the mud at Belmont Park June 10, the dark bay colt returned the
following month to take a six-furlong turf maiden at the same venue by 1 1/4
lengths. In the August 14 Continental Mile S., also on grass, Pluck finished in
a dead heat for second by a neck, but was later disqualified and placed fourth
after drifting in and impeding a rival. He made no mistake next time out in the
September 18 Summer S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine, booking his ticket to the Breeders’
Cup with a one-length victory.

The Todd Pletcher trainee produced a remarkable last-to-first victory
following a troubled trip in the Juvenile Turf. Pluck stumbled at the start and
appeared to lose all chance after being steadied to avoid a fallen rival
entering the first turn. He turned for home at the back of the pack, but rallied
to win going away by a length.

Pluck is out of the multiple Group 1-placed stakes winner Secret Heart (SAf)
(Fort Wood), who is a half-sister to the South African champion filly
Promisefrommyheart (Elliodor). Both were produced by the multiple Group 1-placed
Secret Pact (Bush Telegraph), a full sister to South African Horse of the Year
London News.

“It is great to be involved with such a quality international racehorse with
an exciting career ahead of him,” Vinery Australia’s General Manager Peter Orton
said in a press release. “Knowing the ability and preference the More Than Ready
stock have to turf, we jumped at the chance to, firstly, be involved with this
colt’s racing career and, secondly, to secure ourselves a unique stallion
prospect, if all was to go well.”