Pletcher hoping successful Travers formula translates to Renegade
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. − Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Travers three times. The formula for success has been quite similar with the trio of Flower Alley, Stay Thirsty, and Fierceness.
All three won the Jim Dandy Stakes, had a super month of training in between and came back to win the Travers four weeks later.
It’s a formula Pletcher hopes works for Renegade, the Kentucky Derby runner-up who three weeks ago won the Jim Dandy and who Pletcher believes has continued to flourish out of the race.
“I feel like he’s the best he’s been in his career right now assuming he bounces out of this work as well as he went into it,” Pletcher said Saturday.
Pletcher spoke a little while after Renegade worked a half-mile in 48.66 seconds Saturday morning over Saratoga’s main track.Working outside of regular workmate Sassmaster, Renegade got his last quarter in 23.57 seconds and proceeded to gallop out five furlongs in 1:01.16, six furlongs in 1:13.81 and seven furlongs in 1:27.69.
“I think the horse is doing great, he’s had a really good three weeks,” Pletcher said. “I thought his breeze this morning, particularly the gallop out, was excellent. It seems like he’s in really, really good form.”
Pletcher is likely to need a new rider for Renegade. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is dealing with an injured foot that is expected to keep him out indefinitely. Pletcher on Saturday was working on finalizing a jockey for Renegade, with Tyler Gaffalione considered atop the list of candidates.
Renegade was one of six of the potential 10 Travers starters who put in workouts on Saturday morning. Five of them worked in Saratoga while Leading Change, the Indiana Derby winner, worked at Churchill Downs.
Renegade worked about two minutes after Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo breezed a half-mile in 49.45 seconds in company with his regular workmate Paige Turner. Jose Ortiz had a pretty good hold of Golden Tempo coming to the wire going in quarter splits of 24.80 seconds and 24.65. He galloped out five in 1:02.05.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux said Ortiz was cognizant of “not letting him do too much. I told him a nice easy 49 [seconds] and that’s what we got,” DeVaux added.
Trainer Chad Brown worked his pair of Travers Stakes contenders, Sea Strike over the main track and Emerging Market over the Oklahoma training track. Sea Strike, winner of the Curlin Stakes, went a half-mile in 48.78 seconds, getting his final quarter in 23.69 seconds by himself while galloping out five furlongs in 1:01 and six furlongs in 1:13.46.
“Outstanding. Best work I’ve seen and he’s always been a good a work horse,” Brown said. “Absolutely perfect. I thought he did everything well within himself, very easy for him. I got him out [six furlongs] in 1:13-and-2 absolutely in first gear.”
Emerging Market, who won the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March, but has been plagued by troubled trips in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and a second-level allowance, worked a half-mile in 48.39 seconds over the Oklahoma training track. Emerging Market, working by himself, got his final quarter in 23.75 seconds while galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.71 and six furlongs in 1:15.34.
“I thought he worked great,” Brown said. “He’s moving great. He’s a go. He hasn’t run many times, he’s had some rough trips, really rough trips. I’d like to see the horse draw inside, get a decent trip, saving ground with no trouble in the first turn.”
The maiden Ocelli, third in the Kentucky Derby, worked a half-mile in 51.66 seconds over the main track. Trainer Whit Beckman said he has seen enough from Ocelli to enter him Sunday in the Travers, but has not yet finalized those plans with the ownership group. Beckman also doesn’t have a confirmed rider.
At Churchill Downs, Leading Change, the Indiana Derby winner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80, getting his last quarter in 25.20 seconds per Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. Trainer Brad Cox said he planned to ship Leading Change from Kentucky on Sunday along with several other horses for next weekend’s stakes races.
“Really good,” Cox said of Leading Change’s breeze. “We went solo this week, let him cruise around, he was moving fantastic. As long as everything looks good in the morning, we’ll put him on a van tomorrow evening.”
Cox confirmed that Manny Franco will ride Leading Change in the Travers.
In other jockey news, Paco Lopez, who was taken off Preakness winner Napoleon Solo in favor of John Velazquez, will ride Haskell winner Baby Vino in the Travers. Lopez rode Baby Vino to a 10 3/4-length victory in the Pegasus Stakes before riding Napoleon Solo in the Haskell. Jorge Vargas Jr. rode Baby Vino in the Haskell.
Trainer Lindsay Schultz said “it was Paco’s horse before it was Jorge’s horse.” Schultz said she planned to give Baby Vino his final workout at Saratoga on Monday.
Others expected to be entered in the Travers on Sunday are Napoleon Solo, Silent Tactic and The Puma.
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