Photo: NYRA
Wertheimer and Frere’s Medolina suffered the first defeat of
her career in last month’s Grade 2 Lake George, but even though she finished
fifth, she was beaten only by about two lengths, in a race in which more half
than the field had troubled running lines. On Sunday at Saratoga Race Course,
she’ll try to turn the tables against much of the same company in the Grade 2
Woodford Reserve Lake Placid.
“Her trip was decent in some
respects,” Pletcher said of the Lake George.
“but I think she was sort of stuck in an unusual spot, where there was one kind
of runaway speed horse [Elusive Rumour], and she was sort of lost in the middle
of that and the ones behind her.
“I think the Lake Placid is interesting in that she might find herself
on the lead, which could be an interesting way for her to
run.”
Medolina, a 3-year-old filly by
Aragorn, won her first two starts by coming from off the pace; in her third
victory, she stalked closer to the leader.
Despite the loss in the
Lake George, Pletcher was reasonably pleased
with his filly’s performance.
“She ran well, she wasn’t beaten
far, and we’ll just try again,” he said.
Pletcher is set to send out
another talented filly next Friday, as multiple Grade 1 winner Turbulent Descent is on track to make
her first start for the trainer in the Grade 1 Ballerina.
Winner of the Grade 1 Test here
last year when trained by Mike Puype, Turbulent Descent was sold to Mrs. John
Magnier and transferred to Pletcher after her lone start this year, a win in the
Desert Stormer Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park in June.
“We wanted to focus on the
Ballerina because seven-eighths seems to be her optimal distance, and she seems
to run well fresh. It’s the plan we laid out, and, knock on wood, it’s gone well
so far. She’s scheduled to work tomorrow.”