Led by 2010 juvenile champion UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie) and Travers S. (G1)
winner STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini), trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a host of stars
Sunday morning over Belmont Park’s fast training track in preparation for their
upcoming engagements on Super Saturday. For video of their works, and Pletcher’s
comments, click
here.
Uncle Mo, who returned to racing after a four-month absence to finish second
by a nose in the King’s Bishop S. (G1), zipped through a seemingly effortless
four furlongs under jockey John Velazquez in :46.57, fastest of 79 at the
distance.
“That was faster than I wanted to go,” Pletcher said of the Mike Repole
colorbearer, who will be entered in Saturday’s Kelso H. (G2) at one mile.
“It’s not what we set out to do, but I think it’s an indication of how well
he’s doing at the moment,” the trainer explained. “We were looking for a ‘final
breeze before the race,’ a standard :48, :49, and I think he’s just doing so
well now that he went a little quicker than that. It seems like he’s moving
great and everything he’s been doing since the King’s Bishop has been
exceptional, so we’re pleased with that.”
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.
“They both went probably faster than you want them to go, but Johnny is on
Mo, and I don’t think Mo knows the word ‘slow,’ so :46 for him is :50 for
everybody else,” Repole enthused. “There are a lot of distractions (on the
training track) so Thirsty wasn’t as focused to begin the work, but down the
lane Javier just gave him a little tick, and all of a sudden you can just tell
he looked good, and his gallop-out was amazing.”
Both colts are expected to use their Super Saturday races as preps for the
Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
Super Saturday offers six graded stakes — five of them Grade 1s — worth
$2.7 million, and will be telecast on ESPN Classic and ESPN3.com from 4:30 to
7:30 p.m. (EDT). All six are “Win and You’re In” races for the Breeders’ Cup at
Churchill Downs on November 4-5.
Also preparing for Super Saturday was LIFE AT TEN (Malibu Moon), most
recently third behind Blind Luck (Pollard’s Vision) and Havre de Grace (Saint
Liam) in the Delaware H. (G2) on July 16. The multiple Grade 1-winning
millionaire went four furlongs in :49.61 for Saturday’s Beldame Invitational
(G1), in which Woodward S. (G1) winner Havre de Grace is expected to be the
heavy favorite.
“She did not work with blinkers today; we were looking for a different kind
of work,” Pletcher said. “She is training as well as ever; I’ve been saying that
all year. I don’t anticipate she is going to beat Havre de Grace, but I do think
she will run to her capabilities.”
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.”
Caixa Eletronica, winner of the Westchester S. (G3) and third in the
Metropolitan H. (G1) this spring, sped four furlongs in :48.84 Sunday, while the
streaking Dark Thunder, a 5 3/4-length hero of his stakes debut in the Island
Whirl S., clocked :49.06.
Pletcher also sent out Repole’s STOPSHOPPINGMARIA (More Than Ready), who is
being pointed to the Frizette S. (G1) on October 8. The filly, a nearly
10-length winner of her maiden race at Saratoga Race Course on August 14, went
five furlongs in 1:01.26.
“It looks like she handled the time since her maiden win very well,” the
trainer said. “She’s coming into the Frizette the way we hoped.”
Turf juveniles CRAZY PARTY (A.P. Indy) and CAPTAIN WEBB (English Channel)
will both work Monday and are under consideration for the Miss Grillo S. (G3)
and the Pilgrim S. (G3), respectively, on October 2, with Schuylerville S. (G3)
victress GEORGIE’S ANGEL (Bellamy Road) being pointed to the Tempted S. (G3) the
same day and ANGEL’S TUNE (High Cotton) possible for the Nashua S. (G2).
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.