3-year-olds fueling another Pletcher title run

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When Spice Lady won the second race here last Sunday, she became the ninth 3-year-old to win its career debut for trainer Todd Pletcher since the four-month championship meet began Dec. 3. The others: Nonna Bella, Ghalia, Coors Lute, Adorable Miss, Run and Go, Malagacy, Woodrow, and Faja.

Into Friday, Pletcher had sent out 47 winners from 164 starters at this meet and is well on his way to a 14th straight title at a Gulfstream winter meet, a remarkable streak dating to 2004. Nineteen of those winners at this meet were in maiden races, including the nine first-time-starting 3-year-olds.

• Jockey Joel Rosario was at Payson Park early Friday to breeze Vettori Kin, one of his three scheduled mounts in Dubai later this month. Vettori Kin, now trained by Ken McPeek, won the Brazil Derby in November and will run in the $2 million UAE Derby on the March 25 Dubai World Cup undercard.

Rosario also has the call on Mind Your Biscuits in the $2 million Golden Shaheen and Long On Value in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint.