Pletcher confirms Money Moves for Kentucky Derby, Dr Post for Jim Dandy
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher has confirmed plans for his 3-year-olds, with Money Moves going to next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and Dr Post, the Belmont Stakes runner-up, pointing to the Grade 2, $150,000 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga the same day.
Money Moves, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano, becomes the 18th confirmed starter for the Kentucky Derby. Money Moves, who has never run in a stakes race, has no qualifying points for the Derby, but points don’t matter if 20 horses or fewer are entered in the race.
Entries close and post positions will be drawn on Tuesday.
Money Moves, a son of Candy Ride owned by Robert LaPenta and the Bortolazzo Stable of Gerald Bortolazzo, has won 2 of 3 starts. He won a six-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream Park in February and then a first-level allowance race going a one-turn mile on March 27. Sidelined by an illness, Money Moves didn’t run again until July 25, when he fell a neck short to the 5-year-old Prioritize in a second-level allowance going 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga.
“He’s run well every time, he’s stepped up his figures each time,” said Pletcher, a two-time winner of the Kentucky Derby. “I thought his work yesterday was very good. Sort of a crazy year, so who knows? Maybe something crazy could happen. Mr. La Penta and Jerry Bortolazzo are very excited about the opportunity to run. The horse has given us no reason not to give him a chance.”
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On Friday at Saratoga, Money Moves worked five furlongs in 1:00.14 over the main track. He will fly on Monday to Kentucky on the same flight bringing Derby favorite Tiz the Law as well as Haskell runner-up Ny Traffic from Saratoga.
With Money Moves going to the Derby and Dr Post to the Jim Dandy, Pletcher is seriously considering running Happy Saver, 2 for 2, in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park on Sept. 7. The Federico Tesio is a Win and You’re In race for the Preakness at Pimlico on Oct. 3.