Pletcher has Spinoff, Intrepid Heart for Belmont Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher is throwing out Spinoff’s 18th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and plans to run him in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8. On Sunday, Spinoff worked a half-mile in 48.72 seconds over the Belmont training track, his first work back since the Derby.

“We didn’t feel like he handled the sloppy track and kind of got a little hint of that early in the week when he galloped over a sloppy track and didn’t seem to be real enthusiastic about it,” Pletcher said Sunday at Belmont. “He hung around till about the five-sixteenths pole and didn’t really accelerate at that point. He seemed to come out of it in good order. I liked his work this morning, so we’ll give it another try.”

Starting in 2000, when Commendable won the Belmont after finishing 17th in the Derby, nine horses have won the Belmont coming out of losses in the Kentucky Derby and not running in between. Pletcher has previously done it with Palace Malice (12th in 2013 Derby) and Tapwrit (sixth in 2017). Pletcher also won the 2007 Belmont with the filly Rags to Riches, who won the Kentucky Oaks – contested the day before the Derby – before running in the Belmont.

Pletcher is also pointing Intrepid Heart to the Belmont. Intrepid Heart, third in the Peter Pan last out, is a half-brother to Commissioner, who finished second to Tonalist in the 2014 Belmont. Intrepid Heart is by Tapit, who, in recent years, has produced Belmont Stakes winners Tonalist, Creator, and Tapwrit.

As of Monday, those under consideration for the Belmont were Everfast, Game Winner, Intrepid Heart, Master Fencer, Owendale, Sir Winston, Spinoff, Tacitus, Tax, and War of Will.

Pletcher said Cutting Humor, who ended up 10th in the Derby, is at WinStar Farm where he is in the middle of getting 30 days of turn out.

“He seemed like he tucked up a bit and needed a little freshening,” Pletcher said,

King for a Day, who won Saturday’s Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico, could be aimed at the Grade 3, $150,000 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth on June 16.

King for a Day won the Sir Barton despite his right hind leg getting stepped on coming out of the gate.

“We had to put a few stitches in a hind leg, but it didn’t seem to be anything of any real significance,” Pletcher said. “Probably give him an extra walk day or two.”