Pletcher trio exit Belmont works in good order

Todd Pletcher will saddle nearly a third of the 2015 Belmont Stakes field (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Todd Pletcher reported Saturday morning that each of his
three Belmont S. (G1) contenders — Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway), Madefromlucky
(Lookin at Lucky) and Materiality (Afleet Alex) —
exited their Friday works in good order.

“They all jogged this morning and stood in the starting
gate,” Pletcher said.

There were no further updates on the status of riders for
the trainer’s trio. The services of John Velazquez and Javier Castellano have
been procured, but it has yet to be decided who they will be paired with.
Pletcher has yet to name a third rider.

Among this year’s trainers with Belmont starters, Pletcher
only takes a backseat to Nick Zito in terms of the number of past runners he has
saddled in the third jewel of the Triple Crown. Zito holds the record (34) with
fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.

Pletcher, 47, saddled his first Belmont starter in 2000,
and has sent out 17 more in the ensuing years. On multiple occasions, he has
saddled two or more horses in a single year. He won his second Belmont — his
first victory came with the filly Rags to Riches in 2007 — with Palace Malice in
2013. That year the future Hall of Famer sent five horses postward.

As a Belmont Stakes veteran, Pletcher said his training
approach hasn’t changed too much over the years. One of the constants has been
resisting the urge of “overdoing it” in his preparation of his horses for the 1
1/2-mile race.