Pletcher building Florida operation to full strength

MIAMI – Trainer Todd Pletcher was in town this week to inspect the troops he has stabled at his winter home at Palm Beach Downs, where he said he’ll eventually max out his local stable at around 100 horses.

“We’re not full there yet,” said Pletcher. “We still have some horses to run at Aqueduct, but every few days we’re sending more down,” said Pletcher.

Pletcher said he’s eyeing several stakes during the opening weeks of the Gulfstream Park Championship meet, including the one-mile Smooth Air on Nov. 30 for his promising 2-year-old Fort McHenry and the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale with Channel Cat and Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday with Prince Lucky.

Fort McHenry was an easy maiden winner at Gulfstream Park West in his most recent start. Channel Cat exits a seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Prince Lucky, a two time stakes winner at Gulfstream last winter, could use the Harlan’s Holiday as a springboard to a start in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup.