Pletcher Maps Out Plans for His Stable’s Stars

[Wandering Eyes]

Unraced since finishing second in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic, 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) is nearing his 4-year-old debut, which will most likely come in the May 4 GIII Westchester S. at Aqueduct.

His comeback was put on temporary hold because he was turned out for 60 days after undergoing an elective surgical procedure on a hind ankle. He had his first published workout this year when breezing three furlongs in :36.23 Mar. 13 at Palm Beach Downs.

“He's come back very well,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “What we are thinking at the moment is the Westchester on May 4 at Aqueduct. Hopefully, that will be a lead-in to the Met Mile. The important Grade I's this summer and fall are what we are targeting.

“He had a little surgical procedure on a hind ankle that took place a couple of weeks after the Breeders' Cup. He needed a recovery period after that, but since then everything has gone according to plan.”

Fierceness, the 2023 champion 2-year-old male, is one of many Pletcher-trained stars that will be returning to the track shortly. Another is 'TDN' Rising Star' Mindframe (Constitution), who won the Mar. 1 GII Gulfstream Park Mile. It was his 4-year-old debut.

“Mindframe came out of the Gulfstream Mile in good order and right now we are strongly considering the Churchill Downs Handicap,” Pletcher said. “It's seven furlongs on Derby Day and is a Grade I. As you know there are limited Grade I opportunities and we feel the horse is versatile enough to handle multiple distances. That's why we are thinking seven-eighths might work.”

Mindframe accomplished a lot in a short period of time last year, finishing second in the GI Belmont S. in just his third lifetime start. He followed that with another runner-up finish in the GI Haskell S.

“He always trained really, really well,” Pletcher said of the Maryland-bred. “When you look at what he did as a 3-year-old, going from an allowance race at Churchill and then just getting beat in the Belmont and Haskell, it shows that we asked a lot of him in a short period of time. He was relatively inexperienced while we were doing that. That showed me that he is a special talent. Now, we have to get the Grade I and keep building from there.”

Mindframe is owned by the partnership of Repole Racing and St. Elias Stables. Repole is the sole owner of Fierceness. Will Pletcher be able to keep his two 4-year-old stars apart before the Breeders' Cup?

“We'll have to play it by ear,” Pletcher said. “Mike [Repole] owns all of one and half of the other, so we will try to keep them apart as much as we can. There could be a situation, like, say, in the Whitney, where we might run the two of them against one another. We hope we'll have those decisions to make.”

Some five or six weeks ago, it appeared that Pletcher might not have a starter in this year's GI Kentucky Derby. But a trio of his 3-year-olds have developed quickly and Pletcher, if things break his way, could be well represented in the Derby.

'TDN Rising Star' River Thames (Maclean's Music) won his first two starts before finishing second, beaten a neck in the GII Fountain of Youth S. Grande (Curlin) is 2-for-2 and is coming off a win in a Gulfstream allowance. Disruptor (Gun Runner) romped in a Mar. 1 maiden at Gulfstream, winning by 9 1/4 lengths.

“They'll all breeze on either Friday or Saturday and that will firm up their spots,” Pletcher said. “Right now, if everything goes according to plan the most likely scenario is that Disruptor will go in the Florida Derby, River Thames in the Blue Grass and Grande in the Wood Memorial. We're not there yet. But we're looking a lot better than we did a month ago.”

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