Derby Watch: Pletcher's internal clock still set to Kentucky time

The migratory patterns are well-known. Every winter the gray whales make their way to Baja California. The swallows return to the mission at San Juan Capistrano every April. And the first weekend in May, trainer Todd Pletcher is in Louisville.

The Pletcher migration has been a rite of spring for more than two decades. He ran his first horses in the Kentucky Derby in 2000, and through last year participated in 19 of those 20 Derbies, winning two, with Super Saver in 2010 and Always Dreaming in 2017. Pletcher didn’t have a runner in the 2003 Derby, but was at Churchill Downs that day and won the Three Chimneys Juvenile with Limehouse. He was there in 1999, the year before his first Derby runners, and won the WHAS Stakes with More Than Ready, who was one of four he sent out in the 2000 Derby.

So, this Saturday will mark the first time since 1998 that Pletcher hasn’t been at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. Instead, he’ll be in Florida, where he has been based all winter, and will watch on television as two of his runners – Farmington Road and Gouverneur Morris – compete at Oaklawn Park in divisions of the Arkansas Derby, which was moved to the first Saturday in May when the Kentucky Derby was postponed to Sept. 5.

“It’s very strange,” Pletcher said of the disruptions, to the Derby and life overall, caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s such an odd feeling. Normally you’re counting down the days – 21 days out, then 14 days out, then seven days out. Now, you don’t even know what day it really is. Is it Saturday or Wednesday? It’s strange for everyone.”

Pletcher in the 2000 Derby had four runners, with Impeachment finishing third, More Than Ready fourth, Trippi 11th, and Graeme Hall 19th.

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“More Than Ready cut the corner into the stretch and it got pretty exciting, and then Impeachment came up the rail,” Pletcher said. “It was exciting, first one participating as a trainer, to have four horses.”

That was a preview of coming attractions. Over the years, Pletcher has had multiple entries in 17 of the 19 Derbies in which he has participated, including the two times he won. He has run more horses, 54, in the Derby than any trainer in history. His mentor, four-time Derby winner D. Wayne Lukas, is next with 49.

The postponement of the Derby gives Pletcher more opportunities to bring along Farmington Road and Gouverneur Morris, as well as late developers like Dr Post, who won the Unbridled Stakes last Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Farmington Road and Gouverneur Morris give Pletcher two chances to add to his success in the Arkansas Derby, a race he has won five times, beginning with Graeme Hall in 2000.

Farmington Road, like Dr Post a son of Quality Road, most recently was second in the Oaklawn Stakes, which flip-flopped dates with the Arkansas Derby and was run April 11. Farmington Road ended up in that spot after failing to scratch into the Louisiana Derby when winding up on the also-eligible list. He was fourth in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds on Feb. 15 in his only previous graded stakes try.

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Gouverneur Morris, by Constitution, was fourth most recently behind Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, his second start of the year. He was second last year in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland behind Maxfield.

Farmington Road and Gouverneur Morris have been training at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida, and traveled to Oaklawn earlier this week.

Pletcher usually operates on multiple fronts, but currently has consolidated everything at Palm Beach Downs, a private training center located about 45 minutes from Gulfstream, where racing has continued. That has given some semblance of structure in these unsettled times.

“We’ve maintained a pretty steady morning routine, and there’s racing four days a week. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays are pretty quiet,” Pletcher said.

“It’s a less-hectic schedule. Normally we’d have horses at Churchill and we’d be racing at Aqueduct or Belmont and getting ready to set up at Saratoga and get the babies in there,” he said, referring to 2-year-olds. “From that standpoint, it’s quiet.”

He’s had more idle time. Like many confined to their homes every evening, Pletcher said he’s watched more television than usual. He got roped in by “Tiger King,” recommends another Netflix documentary, “Don’t F**k With Cats,” and, being a huge basketball fan, has been engrossed by the Michael Jordan documentary “The Last Dance” on ESPN.

“Hopefully, Churchill will announce some plans and New York, too,” Pletcher said. “But until there’s any news we’ll just plan on staying where we are.”