Pletcher ponders which Breeders' Cup race best for Liam's Map

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Liam’s Map, dominant winner of Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward Stakes, will most likely make his next start in the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday. What remains to be determined, however, is whether that start will be in the $1 million Dirt Mile on Oct. 30 or the $5 million Classic on Oct. 31.

Pletcher and owner Vincent Viola went into the Woodward thinking that Liam’s Map would be better suited to the Mile as opposed to the 1 1/4-mile Classic. But watching Liam’s Map finish the Woodward, run at 1 1/8 miles, gives Pletcher something to think about over the next seven weeks.

“If you watch the last 100 yards, he actually was widening,” Pletcher said Sunday morning. “What that’s going to mean going another eighth I don’t know. Some of that could be determined by how Keeneland’s playing. So, we shall see. We got some time to figure it out.”

Liam’s Map, who won the Woodward by 4 3/4 lengths, earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure for his performance, four weeks after earning a 113 getting beat a beat a head by Honor Code in the Whitney. Honor Code, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, the fabulous mare Beholder, and Tonalist are among the horses Liam’s Map would likely face in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

If Pletcher elected to run Liam’s Map in the Classic, he could need a jockey because Javier Castellano, who is 2 for 2 on Liam’s Map, is also the regular rider of Honor Code. Honor Code is likely to make his next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso at Belmont on Oct. 3 as his prep for the Classic.

Pletcher said the rider situation would not play a part in the decision-making process.

Coach Inge, who finished second to Liam’s Map in the Woodward, is another who could run in the Classic. Pletcher said Coach Inge “ran terrific” in the Woodward and he would definitely make his next start in the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 3.

Coach Inge seems to thrive on activity. He has strung together four consecutive triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures - he earned a career-best 106 for the Woodward - which includes a win in the Grade 2 Brooklyn.

“He’s getting better and better,” said Pletcher, who trains Coach Inge for Mike Repole.

Saturday was a terrific day for Pletcher, who also won the Grade 1 Spinaway with Rachel’s Valentina, the daughter of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. Rachel’s Valentina earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure on Saturday and will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Pletcher is indecisive as to whether Rachel’s Valentina would run once before then. If she did it would be in either Grade 1, $400,000 Alcibiades at Keeneland on Oct. 2 or the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette at Belmont Park on Oct. 3.