Pletcher leaning toward Woody Stephens with Competitive Edge

Competitive Edge, the unbeaten winner of the Pat Day Mile in his most recent start, is more likely to run in the Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes for 3-year-olds on June 6 at Belmont Park rather than the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Mile against older horses the same day, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Both the Woody Stephens, at seven furlongs, and the Met Mile are part of a Breeders’ Cup-style card supporting the day’s biggest event, the Belmont Stakes, in which American Pharoah will try for a sweep of the Triple Crown. As of Wednesday, Pletcher was planning on sending out three runners in the Belmont – Carpe Diem, Madefromlucky, and Materiality – but he will have action across the breadth of races that weekend at Belmont.

If Competitive Edge does go in the Woody Stephens, Pletcher conceded that he likely would not have a runner in the Met Mile. He trains the race’s defending champ, Palace Malice, but announced this week that Palace Malice will skip the race.

“Competitive Edge is possible, but I’m leaning toward the Woody Stephens,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said his Woody Stephens starters also could include Blofeld, Stanford, and Two Weeks Off. The Easy Goer, a $150,000 race at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds, is another option for Blofeld, Stanford, and Two Weeks Off.

Pletcher has a number of older runners, but they are slotted for other spots than the Met Mile. He said Protonico was pointing to the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 13, and that Commissioner – the Pimlico Special winner – also could run in the Stephen Foster or await the Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 28 or the Suburban at Belmont Park on July 4.

Race Day, who won the Oaklawn Handicap in his last start April 11, has worked just once, on May 3, since that race and “is galloping every day but needs a little more time,” Pletcher said.

One race Commissioner will not run in is the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn, also on Belmont Day. Pletcher said his runners in that 1 1/2-mile race will be Coach Inge and Micromanage.

There are 10 stakes on the Belmont Stakes card, nine graded, six of which are Grade 1 races. Pletcher will have runners in four Grade 1 races besides the Belmont, the lone exception being the Met Mile.

He said he plans on running Dame Dorothy in the $1 million Ogden Phipps for older females. Eclipse Award winner Untapable, trained by Steve Asmussen, is the likely favorite in the Phipps. Pletcher said Stopchargingingmaria is “under consideration” for the Phipps.

Both General a Rod – who would be making his turf debut – and Jack Milton are scheduled for the $1 million Manhattan. “General a Rod has worked twice on the turf, both times really well, so if he’s going to like it, might as well find out for a million dollars,” Pletcher said.

Curalina is his lone scheduled starter in the $750,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies, and Sandiva is possible for the $700,000 Just a Game for female turf runners, Pletcher said.

There are five stakes on the Friday, June 5, card, and Pletcher will be well represented in those races, too. His runners will include Eastwood and Rock Fall in the Grade 2, $250,000 True North for older sprinters and both Red Rifle and Unitarian in the $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational at two miles on turf.