It was a busy Sunday
morning for trainer Todd Pletcher, who had 15 horses on the work tab at Saratoga led by Grade 1
Resorts World Casino New York City Wood Memorial winner Gemologist, unraced since a 16th-place
finish in the Kentucky Derby.
Going out just after the
renovation break in company with Grade 2 winner Dominus, Gemologist breezed
five furlongs in 58.40 on the main track, the fastest of 43 horses at the
distance, as he preps for his first start following his first career loss on
May 5.
“He worked super.
It was a very impressive work,” Pletcher said of the WinStar colt.
“He finished up great, galloped out well, and recovered quickly
afterward. I think his conditioning is very, very good.
“I thought he breezed
as well this morning as he’s ever breezed. He’s always been a good
work horse, but he was exceptionally good this morning.”
It was the second
straight bullet work for the Tiznow colt, who has been on the sidelines since a
foot bruise was discovered two days after the Derby.
“He hasn’t
run since the Derby,
so we wanted to make sure we were tight,” Pletcher said.
“He’s really had a very good, progressive work tab. Each
one’s been progressively stronger.”
Gemologist, who won five
straight to start his career, is being considered for both the Grade 2 Jim
Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, July 28,
as well as the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park
the following day.
“We haven’t
decided yet,” Pletcher said. “It’s the same thing that goes
into every racing decision; where you think you have the best chance to win. We
are considering entering both spots, but we might make a decision prior to
that.”
Also on the work tab for
Pletcher was multiple graded stakes winner Rule,
who was clocked in 48.11 for a half-mile on the main track, seventh-fastest of
67 at the distance.
Another WinStar color
bearer, Rule is coming off a victory over Flat Out in the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup
on July 7, his 5-year-old debut.
“He worked
well,” Pletcher said. “He seems to have come out of the race in
good order. We’re going to see how he does this week and breeze him back.
Right now, I’d say he’s certainly a candidate for the Whitney
[Grade 1, $750,000, August 4].”
Among other Pletcher
workers on Sunday were Stopshoppingmaria,
second in the Grade 1 Frizette and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2011,
and Grade 3 winner Finale, who
each went a half-mile in 50.00. The Curlin
colt Palace Malice, second in his career bow at Belmont Park on July 5, clocked four furlongs in
48.11.
Pletcher reported that In Lingerie and Disposablepleasure, who ran third and fourth, respectively, in
Saturday’s Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, emerged from the race in
good order.
“Both of them seem
fine this morning,” he said. “We didn’t get much of a trip
with either one of them. Both of them got away in a tangle and were last and
next to last going into the first turn, and it seemed like speed was holding up
pretty well. I think it was just one of those throwout races, and we’ll
try again.”
Pletcher said In
Lingerie, the beaten favorite, will be pointed to the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama on Saturday, August 18, while Disposablepleasure
could come back in either the Alabama
or the Grade 2, $200,000 Woodford Reserve Lake Placid on the turf on Sunday,
August 19.
“We’ve been
thinking about putting her back on the grass for a while now,” Pletcher
said.
Turbulent
Descent, winner of the Grade 1 Test in 2011, worked a
half-mile on Saturday in 49.05 and is being pointed to the Grade 1 Ballerina on
August 24, Pletcher said.