Saratoga Maidens Presented By Keeneland: Pletcher-Repole Score On The Grass With Miss Picky

[Wandering Eyes]

When you think of Todd Pletcher and Mike Repole first-time starters, you're usually looking at a dirt horse with dirt breeding and high expectations for their future.

But Pletcher is not a one-trick pony and has branched out and proven of late that he's more than capable with grass horses.  He picked up his tenth turf win at the Saratoga meet Friday when he scored in the eighth race. The mile-and-a-sixteenth maiden was won by Repole homebred Miss Picky (Uncle Mo). It was her second career start after she finished third in her debut.

It was an easy win for the 2-year-old filly, who jumped out of the gate, quickly opened up a clear lead down the backstretch and drew well clear of her rivals as Irad Ortiz Jr. guided her across the finish line.

“We've been fortunate,” Pletcher said. “Our horses have been running well on the grass and, as you know, there are a lot of turf opportunities here and that's been good to us.”

Pletcher said that it was important that Miss Picky had already started.

“That was the key, having the experience,” he said. “She broke sharply and was able to control the pace. She's a nice filly and we have high hopes for her. It was good to see her step up today.”

The disappointment in the race was the filly She Feels Stunning (American Pharoah). A half-sister to Grade I winner She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {(Jpn}), she finished seventh of 10.

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