Mentee huge favorite in Sanford despite rail post
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After setting a track record in his debut, it would seem there is little room for improvement for Mentee when he returns to face seven rivals Saturday at Saratoga in the Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford Stakes.
But contrary to that belief, trainer Todd Pletcher feels the full brother to reigning juvenile champion Fierceness might be primed for an even better effort going postward as the heavy favorite in the first of three graded stakes for 2-year-olds to be decided here this summer. The series culminates with the prestigious Grade 1 Hopeful on Sept. 2.
Mentee ran to expectations and then some at first asking when launching his career under jockey John Velazquez as a prohibitive favorite on June 15 at Aqueduct. The Repole Stable homebred by City of Light opened a seemingly commanding advantage through midstretch before narrowly outlasting the closing surge of the equally promising Colloquial to prevail by the slimmest of margins. But he did so in record time, his final clocking of 56.97 seconds eclipsing the old five-furlong mark of 57.00 established more than 61 years ago.
“He trained well leading into the race, showed speed as we expected, and obviously it turned out to be a very fast race,” said Pletcher. “The fact he lost most of his lead at the end was probably a combination of things. Greenness, perhaps he got a bit complacent, and Johnny taking a couple of looks over his shoulder and seeing he was well clear.”
Mentee has worked twice since that outing, most recently going four furlongs over the main track here last Sunday in 48.91, per Daily Racing Form. The move was punctuated by a strong gallop-out of six furlongs in 1:14.02.
“I feel like he trained well into his debut and I feel like he’s training even better since,” Pletcher acknowledged.
Perhaps Pletcher’s biggest concern coming into the six-furlong Sanford is the fact Mentee has drawn the rail after breaking on the extreme outside in his first start.
“Obviously it’s not what we wanted but he’s going to be forwardly placed, we know that,” said Pletcher. “This kind of takes most of the guesswork out of it.”
Mentee is one of six members of the eight-horse field coming off a winning effort. The group includes Studlydoright, who rallied from far back to upset the 5 1/2-furlong Tremont last month at Aqueduct, and the New York-bred Mo Plex, who won off by 10 lengths launching his career against statebred maidens in his only previous try.
Three Echoes, who finished third after prompting all the pace in the Tremont, Mr. Squeaky Wheels, Baby Dukes, Soontobeking, and War Tax complete the lineup.
Studlydoright came off a modestly graded maiden victory going 4 1/2 furlongs over a sloppy track at Laurel Park to win the Tremont at odds of 13-1 for Maryland-based trainer John Robb. He rallied from nearly a dozen lengths off the pace to run down the embattled leaders Touchy and Three Echoes to score going away by 1 3/4 lengths. The win surprised his trainer, perhaps, as much as anyone.
“I know he’s got a big kick, but watching the race develop, I thought maybe he could get up to be third,” said Robb. “Then he just hit another gear, that’s what caught me by surprise, how many lengths he was able to make up in such a short time the last part of the race.”
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Robb said the added distance in the Sanford should be a plus but admitted he’s facing a tall task going up against the speedy Mentee.
“I think the farther my horse goes, the better off he’ll be because he doesn’t have any early speed,” said Robb. “But that’s a really, really nice horse of Pletcher’s, and while I’m hoping we might get some help with the pace, I just don’t know if there’s anybody in there fast enough to stay with him and give us that help.”
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