Trainer Todd Pletcher believes that we might not have seen the best yet from Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming, who turned in his first gallop at Pimlico Thursday morning ahead of the May 20 Preakness (G1).
“I think he is continuing to improve, actually,” Pletcher said. “The first two races were so easy for him that I don’t think that we really took much out of him.
“The Florida Derby (G1) seemed to bring him forward another notch and I think the Derby was even a stronger performance than that. Just by his physical makeup, I think that he’s a horse that hopefully can continue to even get better than he already is.”
So far, Always Dreaming has exited his Derby heroics in fine shape, maintaining his exuberant level going into the Run for the Roses.
“He continues to show us all of the positive signals that we’re looking for,” his trainer observed. “His energy level has been good since the race. He handled the ship well. His appetite has been good.”
Pletcher was likewise pleased with Always Dreaming’s gallop with Nick Bush aboard, the first time he really strode over the Baltimore oval after arriving Tuesday and just jogging Wednesday.
“I thought he had a real good gallop over the track this morning. It’s kind of what we were looking for, a tranquil, quiet setting, He was focused and on the bridle, but he wasn’t as super-aggressive as he was at Churchill. It’s one of those things; you want him to be a little bit aggressive, not quite as much as he was at Churchill. That’s why we came in early. I thought we’d have a quiet setting here, which appears as though we do, at least for the moment anyways. We’re happy.”
That’s particularly encouraging given the two-week turnaround between the Derby and Preakness.
“Like everyone coming back from the Derby, your biggest concern is trying to repeat a top performance in 14 days,” Pletcher said. “Based off the strength of his race and the way he seems to have come out of it so far, we’re really happy.”
To keep the Bodemeister colt sharp, Pletcher prefers to gallop him up to the middle jewel of the Triple Crown rather than breezing in such a compressed time frame.
“I don’t think there is enough to gain out of a breeze,” Pletcher said. “He’s doing well. He’s super fit; I’m not concerned about that.
“The obvious change is that we shipped in early. That was more just because I never felt like he relaxed on the racetrack when he was at Churchill. From my previous experience being here at Pimlico, I knew it was pretty quiet leading up to next week anyways. What we got out there this morning is exactly what I was hoping for. I think there was one or two other horses on the track while he was training and that quiet environment is going to allow him to fill back up.”
Thus Pletcher is making a couple of adjustments based on his experience with 2010 Derby victor Super Saver, who breezed at Churchill between the two classics and shipped to Pimlico later.
One commonality, however, is the post-Derby hoopla.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” Pletcher said. “A lot of phone calls, a lot of responses to emails, texts and calls and interviews. I had forgotten how much goes along with having the Derby winner, but it’s good stuff. I enjoyed it. It’s starting to sink in a little bit. It’s pretty cool.”
For more from Pletcher, including background on Always Dreaming, watch the video courtesy of the Maryland Jockey Club:
