Four Breeders’ Cup hopefuls trained by Todd Pletcher, led by Mike Repole’s probable Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic starters Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty, arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday at 9:52 a.m.
“Everyone arrived in excellent order,” said assistant trainer Michael McCarthy,
who oversees the Churchill Downs barn for Pletcher, who is expected to
be at the Louisville track Tuesday for training hours. “They all look
great.”
Uncle Mo, the 2010 champion 2-year-old colt, returned to the
Churchill Downs backstretch for the first time since missing this year’s
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) with a rare liver ailment.
The bay son of Indian Charlie will enter the Classic off a dominating
performance in the Kelso Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park on Oct. 1.
Stay Thirsty, who captured the Jim Dandy (GII) and Travers (GI) at Saratoga this summer, finished third behind Flat Out and Drosselmeyer
in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) in his first try versus older horses.
In two races beneath the Twin Spires, Stay Thirsty was fifth behind his
stablemate Uncle Mo in the 2010 Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI)
and 12th in the Kentucky Derby.
Also arriving at Pletcher’s Barn 34 Monday morning were Repole’s Stopshoppingmaria,
who will pre-enter the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI)
or the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint following a runner-up performance
in the Frizette (GI), and Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor’s Finale, winner of the Summer (GIII) at Woodbine who will pre-enter the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII).
All four of the probable Breeders’ Cup starters breezed Sunday at
Belmont Park prior to boarding the plane to Louisville Monday morning.
Training plans for this week at Churchill Downs have not been finalized.