Next
week’s Grade 2, $150,000 Shuvee Handicap for fillies and mares will likely
feature two 4-year-olds from the barn of Todd Pletcher, the trainer said Sunday
morning.
“We’re
going to enter Awesome Maria, and I think we are going to run Happy
Week as well to try and get her some black type,” said Pletcher.
Both
4-year-olds will be making their third start of the year in the one-mile
Shuvee, with E. Paul Robsham Stables’ Awesome Maria having romped in the Grade
3 Sabin and Grade 3 Rampart at Gulfstream
Park
and the Wertheimer brothers’ Happy Week finishing fifth in a Gulfstream
optional claimer and third in the Queen Stakes at Turfway
Park.
Pletcher
could also have multiple starters in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on
Memorial Day, with Mike Repole’s Caixa Eletronica, winner of the Grade 3
Westchester on April 30, and Dogwood Stable’s Aikenite and Anstu
Stables’ Ibboyee, first and third, respectively, in the Grade 2
Churchill Downs Handicap on May 7, all targeting the race.
The
Met Mile, the first qualifying race for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, would be
the third start in six weeks for Aikenite, but Pletcher believes the 4-year-old
son of Yes It’s True could handle the hectic schedule.
“We
were thinking he might need a little more time between races, but he keeps
coming back at us,” said Pletcher. “He has been racing with good enthusiasm
thus far.”
Pletcher
revealed that Repole’s Calibrachoa, scratched out of the Grade 1 Carter
Handicap on April 9, is now targeting the Grade 2 True North Handicap Presented
by Emirates Airline on June 11, Belmont Stakes day.
The
trainer also confirmed his plans to compete at Royal Ascot for the first time,
with Melnyk Racing turf sprinters Stratford Hill and Bridgetown under
consideration for the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes and the Group 1 Golden
Jubilee, Bobby Flay’s Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine More
Than Real eyeing the Group 1 Coronation for 3-year-old fillies, and Let’s
Go Stable’s recent debut winner More Than Minted possible for the Group
2 Queen Mary for 2-year-old fillies. The 2011 Royal Ascot meet will be held
June 14-18.
Plans
remain undetermined for WinStar Farm’s Brethren, who breezed four
furlongs in 50.98 over Belmont’s
training track yesterday in what was his first official workout following his
11-place finish in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 16.
“The
breeze was just what we were trying to do, which was to start back, get a
breeze, and see how fit he was,” said Pletcher. “He was in light training at
WinStar.”