Pletcher has Americanrevolution, Annapolis on comeback trail

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Todd Pletcher will spend the bulk of the next three weeks in Kentucky where he is preparing three horses for the Kentucky Derby and three for the Kentucky Oaks as well horses for other major stakes at Churchill Downs and Keeneland.

When he returns to New York, Pletcher will likely have a few familiar faces in his Belmont shed row as they gear up for their 2022 campaigns.

Americanrevolution, the Grade 1 Cigar Mile winner, and Annapolis, the Grade 2 Pilgrim winner, have recently returned to the work tab after lengthy winter freshenings.

Americanrevolution worked three furlongs in 36.80 seconds at WinStar Farm last Friday, his second breeze of the year. Pletcher said Americanrevolution would likely have two more works at WinStar before shipping to New York.

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“From the videos I’ve seen, he looks very good,” Pletcher said before adding that WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden “is very happy with him.”

Americanrevolution’s 2021 campaign didn’t begin until June. In six races, Americanrevolution won three New York-bred stakes and capped his year off with a victory over stablemate Following Sea in the Cigar Mile.

Pletcher said Americanrevolution could begin his 4-year-old season in the $200,000 Commentator for New York-breds at Belmont Park on May 30.

“That’s what we’ve got penciled in,” Pletcher said.

Annapolis went 2 for 2 at age 2, including a victory in the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Belmont. He was forced to miss the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf with an ankle chip that required surgery.

Annapolis shows three breezes at Palm Beach Downs, a training center in Florida. Pletcher wasn’t sure where Annapolis would return, though there are a bevy of stakes for 3-year-olds on turf in late May or early June, including the $100,000 Jersey Derby going a mile at Monmouth on May 29 or the $400,000 Penn Mile at Penn National on June 3.

Pletcher indicated the Paradise Creek going seven furlongs at Belmont on May 29 may be too short for Annapolis, while the Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge going 1 1/8 miles at Belmont on June 3 may be farther than Pletcher wants to run him first off the layoff.

After checking in on his Belmont string Monday morning, Pletcher was headed to Kentucky later that afternoon. Pletcher’s stable at Churchill includes his trio of Kentucky Derby prospects: Mo Donegal, Charge It and Pioneer of Medina, who needs one defection to get into the body of the race.

Pletcher also has a trio of Kentucky Oaks prospects in Nest, Goddess of Fire and Shahama.

Among Pletcher’s other horses pointing to stakes at Churchill is Happy Saver, the 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, who is pointing toward the Alysheba.

Happy Saver had been targeting the $20 million Saudi Cup before developing a leg infection.