Marconi to Suburban, Coal Front eyes Whitney

ELMONT, N.Y. – The waiting wasn’t the hardest part of Belmont Stakes Day for trainer Todd Pletcher.

After going winless with seven horses in five stakes on Saturday’s card, Pletcher was the last trainer standing in the winner’s circle, getting his picture taken with Marconi following the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational.

“I’m glad they had a 13th race yesterday,” Pletcher said Sunday morning.

It has proven to be worth the wait for Marconi, a $2 million yearling purchase who after going 1 for 6 has reeled off three consecutive stakes wins. The Brooklyn followed earlier wins in the Flat Out, also at Belmont, and the Skip Away Stakes at Gulfstream.

Pletcher will look to take advantage of Marconi’s apparent affinity for Belmont and long-distance races by pointing him to the Grade 2, $700,000 Suburban going 1 1/4 miles here on July 6.

“He’s run good races at Belmont, and there’s not a lot of opportunities at a mile and a quarter,” Pletcher said Sunday morning.

Pletcher noted that Coal Front, seventh in Saturday’s Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, will likely run next in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 3. Coal Front, breaking from the rail in the Met Mile, broke sharply and found himself on the lead under Jose Ortiz early on in the Met Mile. He was pressed by the eventual winner, Mitole, through a half-mile in 44.38 and retreated in the lane.

“The race didn’t unfold the way we hoped,” Pletcher said. “He caught a flyer and Jose had to hold his position. He had Mitole at his throatlatch the whole way. He just got tired late. I’d like to stretch him out, keep the Whitney in mind.”

– additional reporting by Jay Privman