2021 Breeders' Cup Classic: Hopes starting to fade for Pletcher's duo of Dr Post and Happy Saver
The last time the Breeders’ Cup was in California, trainer Todd Pletcher got his first win in the Classic, with Vino Rosso. He is desirous of having two runners in this year’s race at Del Mar, but as the Nov. 6 race approaches, the chances of Dr Post and Happy Saver making the Classic may be withering on the vine.
Dr Post might have run himself out of Classic consideration when he finished third in the Woodward Stakes in his most-recent start. He ran in spots finishing third at Del Mar this past summer in the Pacific Classic, and did it again in the Woodward, acting like a horse who needs blinkers, except for the fact he already wears them.
Dr Post has won four times in 11 starts, but has yet to win at the Grade 1 level, a priority with a son of Quality Road to make him even more marketable as a stallion. Rather than face the likes of Knicks Go, Essential Quality, Hot Rod Charlie, Medina Spirit, and Max Player, plus Pacific Classic winner Tripoli, Pletcher said he may keep Dr Post out of the Classic and point to the Grade 1 Cigar Mile on Dec. 4 at Aqueduct.
“We’re leaning more toward the Cigar Mile with him,” Pletcher said. “He’ll be prepared in a manner to keep the Classic in play.”
But to go, Pletcher said, “he’s going to have to knock our socks off” in his drills, “train insanely good.”
Pletcher said the itinerary with Dr Post may end up being Cigar Mile, then the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream.
Happy Saver, by contrast, already has a Grade 1 win, in last year’s Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. He was second in this year’s Gold Cup, run Sept. 4 at Saratoga, but has not been on the work tab since Sept. 18, owing to a quarter crack.
“We’ve been able to jog and gallop him,” Pletcher said, “but we haven’t been able to get a full patch over the crack.”
He said noted farrier Ian McKinlay is walking the tightrope of wanting to affix the patch, but not before being certain there’s no moisture or debris in the crack that could cause a bigger problem once sealed. The crack has to be cleaned, then laced, before finally being patched.
“The Classic is not out of play, but we’re needing things to go perfect,” Pletcher said. “We can’t breeze him until we get a patch over it, then we’ll have to judge how fit he is. . . . We’re cutting it close.”
Pletcher said that unless Happy Saver is able to get in a work in the next week, hopes for the Classic likely will have to be abandoned.
Several of the leading contenders for the Classic got in drills at Santa Anita in recent days, with Tripoli going a half-mile on Monday in 47.40 seconds. Max Player worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 on Sunday, a day after Hot Rod Charlie went five furlongs in 1:01.60.