Mylute debuts for new barn in Friday feature
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher competed against Mylute numerous times on the Triple Crown trail in 2013 and again last season in the older handicap division. On Friday, Pletcher will not be rooting against Mylute but for him when he sends him out for the first time from his own barn in the afternoon’s $85,000 allowance feature at Belmont Park.
Mylute, beaten a neck by Pletcher’s Revolutionary in the 2013 Louisiana Derby, finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Preakness later that spring before having his 3-year-old campaign come to a premature end following his eighth-place finish behind the Pletcher-trained Palace Malice in the Jim Dandy Stakes. Mylute ran five times in 2014, kicking off the year with an allowance victory before running fourth in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap, sixth in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap, and third in the West Virginia Governor’s Cup. Each of those starts came under the tutelage of Tom Amoss.
Mylute joined Pletcher’s barn in April and has had five works at Belmont in preparation for his return, including a bullet five-eighths in 1:01.20 over the training track May 16.
“He’s trained well,” said Pletcher. “There weren’t a lot of options in classified allowance races. We didn’t want to sprint him, so when this race came up [at a mile], we took the opportunity. We’re just hoping to get him off to a good start and move into a stakes. Whether it’s the Suburban next or not, we’ll see.”
Mylute, who does his best from off the pace, figures to get plenty to run at with Integrity, Mail, and Castaway in the lineup.
Like Mylute, Integrity is in new hands Friday, moving into David Jacobson’s barn after being claimed for $62,500 off a third-place finish in his last start March 17, and could prove the one to beat.
Mail steps up off a big effort against allowance company at Parx, where he rallied to a 3 1/4-length victory for trainer Chad Brown less than three weeks ago. The win was the fourth in the last six starts for Mail, who will race under an $80,000 price tag Friday.
Key contenders
Mylute (Last 3 Beyers: 93-90-94)
* He’s made only one start at Belmont Park, finishing sixth after a wide trip in the 2014 Suburban.
Formulator Fact: Pletcher is 40 for 171, a 23 percent success rate, with horses switched to him for the first time over the last five years, but with an ROI of only $1.29.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Mylute. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 9-3-2-3 with a $2.05 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes following a barn switch and a layoff of 180 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
Integrity (Last 3 Beyers: 94-90-75)
* Seeks his first victory since leading throughout and posting a career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the Elusive Quality overnight stakes here last May, a race switched from turf to dirt.
Formulator Fact: Trainer Jacobson owns a 27 percent win mark, with a profitable $2.12 ROI, with horses going first off the claim over the last five years.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Integrity. Trainer David Jacobson is 10-5-3-0 with a $3.86 ROI in dirt races in the first start following a claim with apprentice Angel Cruz aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Mail (Last 3 Beyers: 94-84-88)
* He’s won three of four tries at a mile, his lone defeat at the distance coming two starts back at Aqueduct when finishing a disappointing fifth as the 2-1 favorite against a stronger field of optional-claiming rivals.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Mail. Trainer Chad Brown is 24-11-6-1 with a $3.93 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes at Belmont with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan