 With one week go before the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Race Course, trainer Todd Pletcher is confident in how his large contingent of hopefuls is coming into their respective races.
"I feel really, really good about the way the horses are training," he said Oct. 23 after five horses from his stable worked at Keeneland Race Course. "Over the last two days, we've just seen the kind of works you like to see coming into big races, (with) horses finishing well, galloping out strongly, cooling out quickly, staying in the feed tub—all those little signs you're looking for.
"Right now, I couldn't be any more pleased with all of them," he said.
The Oct. 23 workers, Breeders' Cup races (all grade I), and splits (where available) were:
—Rachel's Valentina (14 Hands Winery Juvenile Fillies): five furlongs in 1:00 4/5, split of :37 1/5 and gallop out six furlongs in 1:13 1/5 and seven furlongs in 1:28 1/5
—Red Rifle (Longines Turf): four furlongs in :49, splits of :12 4/5, and :25 4/5, out in 1:02 and 1:14 3/5.
—Dame Dorothy (Filly and Mare Sprint): four furlongs in :49, splits of :13 1/5 and :25 3/5,gallop out in 1:02 3/5 and 1:15 2/5
—Mshawish (Mile): four furlongs in :47 4/5, splits of :13 1/5 and :25 4/5, gallop out in 1:01 and 1:14 1/5
—Sweet Whiskey (Longines Distaff) four furlongs, :48.
Rachel's Valentina, the only Pletcher runner to work following the track maintenance break, ran away from her overmatched workmate,Ransack, a 2-year-old who is unplaced in his only career start.
"She basically toyed with her workmate, who couldn't keep up at any point," Pletcher said. "So it was almost like a solo work. I thought she looked great; did it very easily, galloped out easily."
Pletcher said he chose Ransack as the undefeated Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) winner's workmate because "I didn't want one that would go too fast. She was just too much for him."
In his analysis of the other workers, Pletcher said:
"Sweet Whiskey went very well. I had her finish in :23 flat. It was a good breeze for her.
"Red Rifle I had in :49 1/5, with a big strong gallop out, which we would expect since he's going in a mile-and-a-half race. It was another very solid work for him.
"Then I thought Dame Dorothy went extremely well and finished strongly.
"Mshawish, I had finishing :22 and change for the last quarter and galloped out really great. I thought it was a very impressive work for him."
Pletcher's works will be completed Saturday when Stopchargingmaria finishes her Distaff preparations. |
