Pletcher enjoying strong meet so far

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Todd Pletcher won with six of his 11 starters here last week (Jan. 24-28), including three wins on the Pegasus undercard, as the superstar trainer lengthened his lead atop the Gulfstream standings.

Pletcher, the leading trainer at the main winter meet at Gulfstream every year since 2004, already has won 34 races at the 2017-18 championship meet, which began Dec. 2. He is based at the Palm Beach Downs training center, where the 2017 Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, worked three furlongs in 37.13 seconds Monday morning, his first work toward a 4-year-old campaign.

“He’s been galloping, doing really well,” Pletcher said.

Tapwrit, the 2017 Belmont Stakes winner for Pletcher, started back in light training at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala on Jan. 2.

“I saw him over Christmas break, and he looks unbelievable,” Pletcher said. “He’ll come back to me sometime around Feb. 15.”

◗ Besides the eight Pegasus Day stakes, a 12-race Saturday card was filled out by four maiden special races, with every winner strongly hinting that he or she could go quickly up the class ladder. They were Life’s a Parlay (88 Beyer Speed Figure) and Amertume (78) for Pletcher; Cache (77) for Mark Hennig; and Neepawa (74) for Mark Casse.

◗ With the Rainbow 6 pool having been dispersed Sunday, bettors will be served up 10 maiden and/or claiming races and one starter allowance (race 10) when an 11-race Thursday card gets under way here at 12:35 p.m. Eastern.