Pletcher resists and takes more conservative route in Tempted
Though trainer Todd Pletcher believes Nest and Goddess of Fire will ultimately prove to be two-turn horses, the Hall of Fame trainer believes Friday’s $150,000 Tempted Stakes, a one-turn mile race at Belmont Park, is the best next step in the development of the two juvenile fillies.
Hard to argue with a Hall of Fame trainer who has won six runnings of the Tempted, including last year with Malathaat, who is a three-time Grade 1 winner this year and the likely 3-year-old filly champion.
Nest, Goddess of Fire, and Sweet as Pie give Pletcher a solid trio of 2-year-old fillies for the Tempted, one of four stakes on a 10-race card that begins at 12:35. Fans will be able to stay after the races to watch and wager on the Breeders’ Cup from Del Mar.
Nest, a daughter of Curlin and a full sister to Santa Anita Handicap winner Idol, won her debut by five lengths going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont on Sept. 25. She was pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, but ultimately was kept home to avoid the likes of two-time Grade 1 winner Echo Zulu, Hidden Connection, and Juju’s Map – at least for now.
“The more we looked at it, it just seemed like it was a big step,” Pletcher said. “Maybe if the race were at Belmont and she’s stabled there, but then you throw in the ship cross country for only her second start, giving up seasoning to other ones, we felt like it was in her best interest for her long-term development to take a more conservative approach.”
Goddess of Fire won her debut by a neck at Saratoga before finishing third, 9 1/2 lengths behind Hidden Connection, in the Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill in her second start.
Sweet as Pie was a debut winner from the rail on Oct. 8. She will have to deal with the rail again on Friday.
Chad Brown sends out Gerrymander, a daughter of Into Mischief who was second, beaten nearly 10 lengths at odds of 1-2, in her debut in July at Belmont. She came back to win a maiden race at 10-1 at Saratoga before finishing second, 7 1/2 lengths behind Echo Zulu, in the Grade 1 Frizette.
She’s been training with Jack Christopher, the Grade 1 Champagne winner and likely favorite for Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar.
“She’s holding good company,” Brown said. “She’s a horse we always thought a lot of. Her first start at Belmont, she was green and packed it in and it really caught us off guard. I was proud of her to show up at Saratoga and run to the works she showed at the farm.”
Magic Circle, Red Hot Mess, Surprisingly, and Morning Matcha complete the field.
Biz Biz Buzz heads Atlantic Beach
If he doesn’t achieve the milestone on Thursday at Laurel Park, trainer Michael Trombetta could be in line to record his 2,000th career victory Friday when he sends out Biz Biz Buzz in the $100,000 Atlantic Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on turf. Trombetta came into this race week with 1,999 wins.
Biz Biz Buzz finished third in the Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont on Oct. 10. Slipstream and Run Curtis Run, the 1-2 finishers from that race, are running in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Mile and Juvenile Turf Sprint, respectively, at Del Mar.
Trombetta said he briefly flirted with the idea of the Juvenile Turf for Biz Biz Buzz, but thought a cross-country trip to face a full field of some of the toughest horses in the division was not what the young horse needed right now.
“I think the world of the horse, but I thought it was too much of an ask,” said Trombetta, who added that owner Charlotte Weber “thought the same thing.”
In the Futurity, Biz Biz Buzz was actually hit by the gate door when it ricocheted back after opening. Trombetta didn’t think it made a difference in the result, but said, “It’s just another one of those things you’d rather not have happen in a race.”
Biz Biz Buzz has come out of the race to work “dynamite” Trombetta said.
Biz Biz Buzz, who will be ridden by Julian Pimentel, should get some pace in which to close with Here Comes Billy and Trust Daddy drawn in the first two post positions.
Longshadow, a stakes winner over the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs, has the look of a contender for trainer Kelsey Danner.
Doctor Jeff, fourth in the Grade 2 Pilgrim at 1 1/16 miles, cuts back to six furlongs.
Royal Spirit tops Awad
A few hours before he attempts to win the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar with the maiden Commandperformance, Pletcher will try to win the $100,000 Awad with the maiden Royal Spirit.
The Awad is for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Royal Spirit, a son of Into Mischief, finished third in a maiden race at Saratoga on Aug. 28. Pletcher ran him in the $500,000 Nownownow Stakes at Monmouth Park, where he finished second to Dakota Gold and six lengths clear of Coinage.
Among Royal Spirit’s challengers is General Ken, a son of Violence who won his debut by 7 1/4 lengths going long on turf at Delaware Park and was purchased privately by Louis Lazzinnaro and Michael Dubb and transferred to Chad Brown.
Artie’s Angel, Daunt, and Geno complete the compact field.