Todd Pletcher, whose barn of bluebloods leads the nation in purse earnings this year with nearly $17 million, was at Santa Anita Friday morning to coordinate
strategy first hand as his locally based contenders prepare for the
Breeders’ Cup World Championships at The Great Race Place on Nov. 2 and
3.
“We have six horses here now,” said Pletcher, whose top gun, Mike
McCarthy, directs the West Coast operation during Pletcher’s absence and
was walking side-by-side Friday with el patron.
The six include Zenyatta Stakes winner Love and Pride, pointing to
the Ladies’ Classic, and Turbo Compressor, second in the John Henry Turf
Championship, with eyes on the Turf.
Love and Pride is scheduled to work on Santa Anita’s main track
Saturday under jockey Martin Garcia. Bridgetown (Turf Sprint), In
Lingerie (Ladies’ Classic or Filly & Mare Turf), Doubles Partner
(Mile) and Tara from the Cape (Juvenile Fillies Turf) are Pletcher’s
other Breeders’ Cup hopefuls already at Santa Anita.
Pletcher plans to ship the remainder from the East Coast to Santa
Anita on Oct. 30, among them unbeaten 2-year-old Shanghai Bobby,
impressive winner of the Grade I Champagne Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 6,
and a leading contender for the Juvenile.
“The horses here seem to be doing well,” Pletcher said. “We’ll breeze
some of them tomorrow and go from there. Shanghai Bobby will breeze
Sunday in New York. He’ll breeze one more time in New York after that
and come in on the 30th. That’s the plan right now.”