Pletcher happy with half-mile breezes from Materiality, Itsaknockout and Stanfor

Materiality and his stablemates will likely have one more work at Palm Beach Downs before shipping to Churchill (Adam Coglianese Photography)

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent a trio of Kentucky Derby (G1) contenders to the training track at Palm Beach Downs early Saturday morning for
breezes, including undefeated Florida Derby (G1) winner Materiality (Afleet
Alex),
Fountain of Youth (G2) winner and Florida Derby fourth-placer Itsaknockout
(Lemon Drop Kid), and Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up Stanford (Malibu Moon).

The three colts turned in their first works since their
last respective starts, which all came on March 28, and each worked in company.

Itsaknockout — paired with Grade 1 scorer and recent Tamarac S. winner Competitive Edge
(Super Saver), who is
targeting the $200,000 Pat Day Mile (G3) on May 2 at Churchill Downs — worked a half-mile
:49 over the
fast Palm Beach Downs dirt. The duo covered the last quarter-mile in :23 2/5 without much urging.

“It was a good, progressive breeze,” Pletcher said of the
work. “They picked it up as they went along, and they galloped out well. I was
happy with it.”

Lightly raced Competitive Edge will join the Pletcher brigade under the Twin Spires for the Pat Day Mile (Lauren King/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Although they ran jointly, Materiality
finished with a slight edge over his workmate. 

“I thought both horses worked extremely well,” Pletcher
remarked. “They went off easy and finished up strongly, galloped out great. Both
seem to be moving very well.”

With the Triple Crown set to kick off in three weeks with the May 2 Kentucky
Derby at Churchill,
Pletcher said his contenders are showing him the things that he looks for
leading up to the spring classics.

“I look for the same kind of thing (that I saw today),” the trainer
explained. “I just hope that they continue to work well and do well. I’m really
happy with the way all three of those horses, over all, are doing. Their
appetites are good. They’re moving well. They have good coats. They’re showing
us all the right signs.”

Materiality, Itsaknockout, and Stanford will continue to
train in South Florida and will record one more breeze at Palm Beach Downs
before heading north on Tuesday, April 21.