Jonathan Thomas, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, was
happy to report that Rose Catherine, Saratoga’s
Lena Spencer winner who extended her winning streak to four straight in
Saturday’s Turf Amazon Handicap at Parx Racing, returned to Belmont Park
in great shape.
“She ate her dinner and looks good,” said Thomas. “We’ll
make a decision as to the Breeders’ Cup later on, and give her some time to recover.”
Pletcher has some of his stable’s biggest stars under
consideration for upcoming stakes at Belmont
Park, including Grade 1
Ogden Phipps winner Life At Ten and multiple Grade 1 winner Devil May
Care for the Grade 1 Beldame. The duo emerged from Saturday’s tandem
five-furlong work [1:00.05] in good form, said Thomas.
Awesome Maria, who won the Riskaverse over Saratoga’s
inner turf course on September 2, is also possible for the Beldame, said
Thomas.
“With her there are so many options,” he said. “She could go
out of town, go to the Beldame, or even go back on turf.”
Looking ahead, Pletcher has both Stay Thirsty,
runner-up in the Grade 1 Three Chimneys Hopeful, and Uncle Mo,
impressive maiden winner at the Spa, possibly pointing toward the Grade 1
Champagne on October 9. The pair worked Saturday, with Uncle Mo
covering five furlongs in 1:00.15 and Stay Thirsty going a half in 51.04.
Training up to the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs on
November 5-6 for Pletcher are Grade 1 Woodward winner Quality Road, who
went a half-mile in 49.56; Discreetly Mine, who worked a half in 50.12,
and Malibu Prayer, who went the same distance in 48.83, all on Saturday.
Quality Road, whose next start will be the Grade 1 Breeders’
Cup Classic, worked over Belmont Park’s training track for the first time this
year.
“He seems to train pretty well over there,” said Thomas. “We
thought we’d change it up a little bit.”