Pletcher eyes Woodward for Coach Inge

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In the end, trainer Todd Pletcher only went with one runner, Liam’s Map, in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Whitney on Saturday.

In looking ahead to the $600,000 Woodward, the other Grade 1 stakes race for older horses at the meet, Pletcher is already considering having multiple runners. The Woodward is run Sept. 5.

As expected, Pletcher scratched Coach Inge, the Brooklyn Handicap winner, from the Whitney and said Saturday he is leaning toward running him in the Woodward. The Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 22 also is under consideration.

Coach Inge likely would have been part of the Whitney pace along with Liam’s Map and Moreno.

Protonico, who scratched from the Monmouth Cup on Aug. 2 due to issues with the heat, is a candidate for the Woodward as well, Pletcher said. On Saturday, Protonico, the winner of the Grade 2 Alysheba and Grade 3 Ben Ali in his last two starts, worked four furlongs in 47.75 seconds over the main track in company with Race Day, the winner of the Oaklawn Park Handicap.

“He appeared to work well this morning,” Pletcher said of Protonico.

Race Day likely will turn back in distance for the Grade 1 Forego, a seven-furlong race Aug. 29.

“He ran well around one turn before,” Pletcher said of Race Day. “It’ll either be there or the Woodward.”

Pletcher had Palace Malice and Mylute to run in Sunday’s Alydar Stakes, and one or both of those could return in the Woodward.

Curalina, the winner of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 26, returned to the work tab Saturday, breezing a half-mile in 48.37 seconds in company with the stakes-winning 3-year-old male Blofeld.

“She worked very well, seems to have come out of the Coaching Club in good order and is on schedule for the Alabama,” Pletcher said.