Pletcher sends two against Dugout in New York Breeders' Futurity

Trainer Todd Pletcher ships a pair of juveniles across the state as he looks for his second consecutive victory Saturday in the $200,288 New York Breeders’ Futurity, the richest race on the Finger Lakes stakes schedule.

Pletcher’s duo is led by La Fuerza, a colt who is already well seasoned in statebred stakes company. A Flatter colt owned and bred by Barry Schwartz, La Fuerza won his first two outings, both at Belmont, including the Rockville Centre Stakes, before finishing fifth in the Funny Cide Stakes on Saratoga’s statebred showcase day after veering out at the start. He rebounded just over two weeks later to win the Aspirant Stakes, the local prep for the Futurity, by three lengths.

Chris DeCarlo, aboard La Fuerza for the Aspirant, retains the mount Saturday. DeCarlo teamed with Pletcher to win last year’s Futurity with Analyze the Odds. John Velazquez is named aboard Pletcher’s other entrant, the maiden Bourbon Mission, but the Mission Impazible gelding will need a new rider, as Velazquez will remain at Belmont Park on Saturday for several major stakes.

Dugout is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the Futurity. He romped by 7 1/4 lengths in his debut on Saratoga’s opening weekend, then won the Funny Cide by a nose over Bankit. Jose Valdivia takes over the mount from Javier Castellano on Dugout, who is trained by Larry Rivelli.

Kadens Courage is still a maiden for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, but was second in the Aspirant. Maiden winner Queens Dude and the maidens Possetizzly and True Gold complete the field. Possetizzly and Queens Dude were fourth and sixth in the Aspirant, while True Gold was beaten just a nose at Saratoga in his only start.

A moment of silence will be held during Saturday’s program in honor of late Finger Lakes Hall of Fame jockey Leslie Hulet, and the sixth race on the card is named for him. Hulet, who died last week at age 69, was the leading rider at Finger Lakes six times and held the record for wins at the track from 1999 until last year.