Kentucky Derby: Pletcher pair looms large, too

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – His two best 3-year-olds have combined to win all their races save one, and both come off victories in important final preps for the Kentucky Derby. Yes, that outline obviously applies to American Pharoah and Dortmund, the Bob Baffert-trained duo that has dominated the talk of this year’s Derby. But it also applies to trainer Todd Pletcher’s best prospects, Carpe Diem and Materiality.

Carpe Diem has won 4 of 5 starts, just like American Pharoah, and tuned up for the Derby just down the road at Keeneland, where he won the Blue Grass Stakes. Materiality has never lost, just like Dortmund, though he has had just three starts, all since the first of the year, compared to six for Dortmund.

And while the Baffert pair likely will be the top two choices in the betting come Saturday afternoon, there will be significant support for Carpe Diem and Materiality, colts who might have been the top two choices in most any other Derby.

“They’re not getting as much attention, but I don’t think anyone would be surprised if they won,” Pletcher said outside his Churchill Downs barn on Tuesday. “Carpe Diem and Materiality are as good as any we’ve brought to the Derby. But this is the strongest Derby I’ve been involved in.”

Carpe Diem won twice in three starts last year, his lone loss coming in his final start at age 2, a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

“He’s got a pretty impressive résumé,” said Pletcher, who said Carpe Diem’s lone loss might have been his most-beneficial experience.

“The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile might have been his best education,” Pletcher said. “He was shuffled back in the field, had some things happen that didn’t happen in his other starts. Hopefully, that will pay dividends here.”

Carpe Diem also has been prone to being recalcitrant when asked to load into the starting gate. So, he went to the gate Tuesday morning for a schooling session and did so well that starter Scott Jordan told Pletcher there was no need to bring Carpe Diem back any other mornings this week.

“He was brilliant at the gate today,” Pletcher said.

Materiality rivals Dortmund as the biggest horse in the race. He is not as tall as Dortmund, but there is more substance to his torso. Asked if he’d ever weighed Materiality, Pletcher said he hadn’t but said, “I’d guess he weighs 1,300 pounds,” which is close to what Dortmund weighs.

That physical strength is something Pletcher hopes will help Materiality overcome the inexperience he carries into this Derby. With just three starts, no horse in the race has competed fewer times. No horse has won the Derby without racing at 2 since Apollo in 1882. But Materiality earned his way into the Derby with a game victory over Upstart in the Florida Derby.

“It’s going to happen at some point,” Pletcher said of a horse unraced at 2 winning the Derby. “There have been changes in the game, less 2-year-old racing. From a physical standpoint, he’s a big, solid horse. That being said, he hasn’t been in a big field yet. You have to hope the lack of experience doesn’t hurt him.”