Pletcher Works Grade I Contenders

[Wandering Eyes]

Todd Pletcher breezed several Grade I-bound horses Saturday, including his GI Belmont Derby-bound pair of Social Paranoia (Street Boss) and Spinoff (Hard Spun). The colts worked in company over Belmont’s inner turf, completing four panels in :48.80 (4/6).

“I thought it was a good work for him,” Pletcher said of Social Paranoia, who was last seen finishing third in Belmont’s GIII Pennine Ridge S. “He’s run well all three times this year. I’m hoping a mile and quarter will give him a little bit of a better chance. I think it’s a very competitive race, but at his best he’s very good. I don’t think he has an electrifying turn-of-foot, so I think the mile and a quarter distance should help him.”

As for Spinoff, who has been campaigned exclusively on dirt thus far and enters the July 6 Belmont Derby off a sixth in the GI Belmont S. June 8, the conditioner said, “I thought both of his turf works were good. Trying him on the turf was something that was always in the back of our minds. Assuming everything is good coming out of this work, we’ll point for the Belmont Derby.”

Pletcher added, “I’m not committing to a turf campaign yet. Even if he runs well, that doesn’t mean he’s going to stay on the turf. I was looking at options following the Belmont as I’m not sure he gave me everything he had in that race. By the time I walked back to the barn, he wasn’t blowing hard or drinking any of his water. He was only beaten a couple of lengths but watching him comeback and cool out and bounce out the race I’m not sure he gave me everything, so we’ll see how he performs in here.”

Pletcher also worked Clint Maroon (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who is first on the reserve list for the Belmont Derby and holds an entry in the Fasig-Tipton July Horses of Racing Age Sale. The colt, who breezed a half-mile over the inner in :48.70 (2/6), will be entered in the Belmont Derby if a spot becomes available. Otherwise, he will run in the July 4 Manila S.

Grade I winner Vino Rosso (Curlin) breezed in company with GII Brooklyn Invitational S. winner Marconi (Tapit), covering a half-mile on the Belmont training track in :48.70 (8/83). Vino Rosso is pointing for the Aug. 3 GI Whitney S. at Saratoga, while Marconi is targeting for next Saturday’s GII Suburban H.

“I thought both horses worked very well,” said Pletcher. “They make good workmates. Marconi seems to be in a good rhythm at the moment, his confidence is at an all-time high and he just seems to be improving. I don’t think six months ago he would have been capable of breezing with a horse as good as Vino Rosso and staying with him the whole way. We know he likes Belmont after his last two wins here and the Suburban is a prestigious race with a good purse for a horse with a stallion’s pedigree. Vino Rosso will ship to Saratoga [Sunday] to begin preparations for the Whitney.”

Also on the worktab for Pletcher Saturday was ‘TDN Rising Star’ Intrepid Heart (Tapit), who breezed four furlongs in :50.75 (55/83) on the Belmont training track. Last seen finishing eighth in the Belmont, the gray is under consideration for either the July 26 Curlin S. or July 27 GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga.

“He had his first work back today,” said Pletcher. “Purposely, we went a little bit on the easy side. We’ll play it by ear. He’s eligible for the Curlin and Jim Dandy so we’ll see how he trains.”

 

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