Uncle Mo, who returned to racing after a four-month absence to finish
“That was faster than I wanted to go,” Pletcher said of the Mike
“It’s not what we set out to do, but I think it’s an indication of
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Repole’s Stay Thirsty, who will take on older rivals for the first time in
Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational (G1), was up next. With
Javier Castellano in the irons, Stay Thirsty covered the four furlongs in
:47.07, third-fastest at the distance.
“Stay Thirsty is on a maintenance program,” Pletcher said of the colt, who
also counts the Jim Dandy S. (G2) and the Gotham S. (G3) among his 2011
victories. “Obviously he’s been in a lot of races that are 1 1/2 miles, 1 1/8
miles, 1 1/4 miles, so we’re just trying to keep him ticking over and he seems
to be maintaining his form really well.
“It seems that since the (Kentucky) Derby (G1), he’s trained like a different
horse,” he added. “You see some horses, they run in the Derby, it knocks them
for a loop and it takes them a long time to recover. He sort of did the
opposite; he kind of thrived off it. The Belmont ([G1] when runner-up to Ruler
on Ice [Roman Ruler]) was his best race to that point, and he followed that with
two better races (the Jim Dandy and Travers). It just seems like he’s getting
better and better.”
Repole was on hand for this morning’s action as well.
Both colts are expected to use their Super Saturday races as preps for the
Super Saturday offers six graded stakes — five of them Grade 1s — worth
Also preparing for Super Saturday was LIFE AT TEN (Malibu Moon), most
“She did not work with blinkers today; we were looking for a different kind
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The trainer added that Grade 3 queen SUPER ESPRESSO (Medaglia d’Oro), owned
by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, remained possible for the 1 1/8-mile Beldame.
“We are weighing our options between this and the Spinster ([G1] at Keeneland
on October 9),” Pletcher, said. “We probably won’t decide until entry day.”
One Pletcher trainee who is definitely Spinster-bound is QUIET GIANT (Giant’s
Causeway), a dominating winner of the Molly Pitcher S. (G2) and Lady’s Secret S.
in her last pair, who toured a half-mile in :49.64 Sunday.
Pletcher added that multiple Grade 3 hero CALIBRACHOA (Southern Image) and
DARK THUNDER (Trippi) might be joined by stablemate CAIXA ELETRONICA (Arromanches)
for Super Saturday’s six-furlong Vosburgh S. (G1).
“Caixa Eletronica is ideally suited for a mile, but he’s not going to run
against Uncle Mo,” Pletcher said regarding why he’s not aiming for the Kelso.
“This race looks like it could come up with a really hot pace and he’s the kind
of horse who, if ridden properly, can sit back and make one run, and he’s game
enough to do about anything.”
Pletcher also sent out Repole’s STOPSHOPPINGMARIA
“It looks like she handled the time since her maiden win very well,” the
Turf juveniles CRAZY PARTY (A.P. Indy) and CAPTAIN WEBB (English Channel)
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Pletcher said that Hopeful S. (G1) third BIGBLUENATION (Bluegrass Cat) will
work Monday at Saratoga and was more likely to run in the Breeders’ Futurity
(G1) at Keeneland on October 8 than the Champagne S. (G1) on the same day.
Also running at Keeneland on October 8 will be Grade 1 star SIDNEY’S CANDY
(Candy Ride [Arg]), who worked four furlongs in :48.62 as he returns to the
grass in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1), said Pletcher. He was most recently a
disappointing eighth when sprinting on the main track in the Forego S. (G1).
Rounding out Pletcher’s high-profile workers was Mother Goose S. (G1) winner
BUSTER’S READY (More Than Ready) , who went four furlongs in :50.07. Most
recently fourth in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), she’s pointing to
Saturday’s Cotillion S. (G2) at Parx Racing.