Saratoga: Graydar, Shanghai Bobby breeze for Pletcher

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As if trainer Todd Pletcher’s arsenal wasn’t strong enough already, he’s also got two more of his big guns, Graydar and Shanghai Bobby, back on the work tab and getting ready to launch their comebacks later this season.

Graydar and Shanghai Bobby both cruised through easy three-furlong workouts in 38 seconds and change Monday. Graydar went to the sidelines after having a small chip taken out of an ankle following victories this year in the Donn Handicap and the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap.

Shanghai Bobby, the 2-year-old champion in 2012, has not started since finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Florida Derby due to a stress fracture of the tibia discovered shortly after the race.

“It’s their first breezes back, and I was just looking to get an easy three-eighths into them,” Pletcher said. “I thought they both did really well, and it’s nice to get them back on the work tab, although I don’t expect either of them to make a race during this meet.”

Pletcher also reported that Forty Tales came out of his victory in Sunday’s Grade 2 Amsterdam in good order and likely will be pointed for the Grade 1 King’s Bishop on Travers Day, Aug. 24.

“He appears to have found his niche,” Pletcher said. “He really seems to enjoy coming off the pace in these sprints, and if all goes well, we’ll have to take a close look at the King’s Bishop. He proved in the Derby Trial he can get a mile with the right setup, but right now, it looks like the best opportunities for him are at six and seven furlongs.”

Pletcher remains undecided about a next race for Kauai Katie after her last-place finish as the 2-5 favorite in last Saturday’s Grade 1 Prioress.

“She twisted a shoe and, unfortunately, it stayed on, and she got some scrapes on her, but nothing major,” Pletcher said. “It couldn’t have been ideal to have run the whole race like that. I think she sprung it at the start. That’s the only excuse I can see.”

Pletcher said he won’t rule out the Grade 1 Test for Kauai Katie’s next start but said it’s more likely that she’ll head in a different direction.