Pletcher playing catch-up with Up to the Mark after setback

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Up to the Mark, a two-time Grade 1 winner and arguably the leader of the older male turf division, suffered a setback in his training that will likely alter his plans leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, trainer Todd Pletcher said this week.

Pletcher said Up to the Mark missed about a week of training recently which will cost him a start in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer here on Aug. 26. Owner Mike Repole had previously mentioned using either the Sword Dancer or the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on Sept. 30 at Aqueduct as the one race Up to the Mark would have leading up to the $4 million BC Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Pletcher mentioned perhaps using the $150,000 Bernard Baruch at 1 1/16 miles here on Sept. 4 as a possible prep if he could start breezing the horse next weekend.

“With the little bit of time that we’re going to have we’re probably not going to want to run him a mile and a half,” Pletcher said. “He missed a week of training so we’re playing catch-up a little bit now.”

Up to the Mark has won four of five starts this year, including the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 6 and the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park on June 10. He has not worked since.

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