Todd Pletcher will seek his fourth victory in Saturday’s $1 million Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park, entering three of the eight runners in the 1 1/8-mile fixture for three-year-olds at Monmouth Park, but the Hall of Fame trainer said connections will still assess options for a pair of runners.
Belmont (G1) runner-up Mindframe is listed as the 9-5 morning line favorite, with stablemate and Florida Derby (G1) romper Fierceness the 5-2 co-second choice, and Mike Repole has ownership interests in both colts.
“We’ve been preparing as though Fierceness is going to run in the Haskell,” said Pletcher, who has the Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga a week later as a possible alternative for Fierceness and Mindframe. “With common ownership and Mike Repole owning 100 percent of Fierceness and 50 percent of Mindframe, I suppose that’s going to play into the equation.
“Mike’s going to have to look at it and decide if he wants to run them against each other or split them up. We’ve been preparing with both options in mind.”
The Haskell will award an expenses-paid berth to the $7 million Classic (G1) at Del Mar as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
MIndframe did not make his career debut until late March, scoring by 13 lengths in a seven-furlong maiden at Gulfstream, and the Constitution colt came back to easily annex a two-turn allowance at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard. Mindframe ran well when stepping up to face stakes rivals in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont, finishing a half-length second, and Irad Ortiz Jr. retains the assignment.
A 13-length winner of the Florida Derby, two-year-old male champion Fierceness will look to rebound following a 15th as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. The bay son of City of Light has captured every other start in his six-race career and the pattern favors Fierceness in the Haskell. John Velazquez rides.
Pletcher has also entered Tuscan Sky, a Spendthrift Farm colorbearer who enters on the upswing following a 6 3/4-length win in the June 15 Pegasus S. at Monmouth. Javier Castellano guides the grey Vino Rosso colt.
Belmont winner Dornoch, pegged at 5-2 with Fierceness, promises to be prominent from his innermost post. A full brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, the Good Magic colt has recorded graded wins in three of his last five starts, the lone setbacks coming in the Kentucky Derby and Blue Grass (G1), and Dornoch is arguably discovering his best form presently after earning a career-best 106 Brisnet Speed rating in the Belmont. Luis Saez will be up for Danny Gargan.
Grade 1 juvenile winner Timberlake, unraced since a fourth as the favorite in the Arkansas Derby (G1), will return to action for Brad Cox, and the Into Mischief colt is a candidate to show speed from the start with Flavien Prat.
Completing the field are Sea Streak, winner of the Long Branch two back and fifth in the Pegasus; last-out Parx optional claiming victor Just Step On It; and Jasper’s Pride, a two-time winner over New Jersey-bred rivals.
