Pletcher barn losing several stars to breeding shed

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Todd Pletcher certainly was going to enjoy the victories recorded Friday by Liam’s Map in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Race Day in the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland.

But when he allowed himself to look to the future, he did so with some trepidation, knowing that Liam’s Map and Race Day, as well as several of his other older male dirt graded stakes winners, are heading to the breeding shed in 2016.

“That’s a theme we’re living through a lot here lately,” Pletcher said Friday after Liam’s Map’s 2 1/2-length victory in the Dirt Mile. “It’s what you set out for when you get opportunities to train colts like this; you want to make them stallions. Unfortunately, we’re making a few too many this year. Next year might be a little lean.”

Liam’s Map and Race Day were two of seven older male horses who combined to win 11 graded route stakes for Pletcher in 2015. The others included Golden Lad, Coach Inge, Commissioner, Constitution and Protonico. Coach Inge, who was injured in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, is expected to run again in 2016. Plans for Protonico were uncertain.

Liam’s Map wrapped up a brilliant, if all too brief, career with a terrific performance in the Dirt Mile, displaying the ability to come from off the pace after showing cheetah-like speed in winning the Grade 1 Woodward and running second, beaten a neck, in the Grade 1 Whitney.

“It’ll be hard to say goodbye, but at the same time, it’s fun to be able to retire one on a high note rather than regret running one too many times,” Pletcher said.

Liam’s Map, who earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure for his Dirt Mile performance, retires to Lane’s End Farm with a record of 6-2-0 from eight starts and earnings of $1,358,940. Race Day, who earned a 105 Beyer for his Fayette Stakes victory, retires to Spendthrift Farm with a record of 6-1-2 from 11 starts and $733,450 in earnings.

Lea, the runner-up in the Dirt Mile, will be retired at year’s end as well and will stand stud at Claiborne Farm, which is also his owner. However, trainer Bill Mott said he wouldn’t mind running the horse back in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 28 if his connections were game.

“It would be a possibility in my mind, but I don’t know about theirs,” Mott said Saturday.

Mott said Lea put in “a super effort” in the Dirt Mile, taking the lead around the turn and opening up three lengths in upper stretch.

“Where we were at the quarter pole was where we wanted to be,” Mott said. “The other horse ran us down.”

Red Vine, the third-place finisher in the Dirt Mile, is cataloged to be sold at Fasig-Tipton on Sunday night.

Wicked Strong, the fourth-place finisher in the Dirt Mile, is also retiring at year’s end to Spendthrift Farm.