Pletcher weighing options for Point of Entry Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Handicapping Sunday’s $100,000 Point of Entry Stakes may be best be delayed until trainer Todd Pletcher decides what he’s going to do with Noble Indy.

While Noble Indy was one of seven horses entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Point of Entry Stakes at 1 1/2 miles, he was also one of seven horses entered in Monday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes here going 1 1/8 miles.

Pletcher said he would run in the Knickerbocker if he thought Noble Indy would be one of the favorites. With Grade 1 winners Catholic Boy and Glorious Empire and listed stakes winner Lucullan in that field, Noble Indy may not be among the favorites in the Knickerbocker.

He does look like he could go favored in the Point of Entry, in which he could be the controlling speed under Irad Ortiz Jr. going 1 1/2 miles for the first time on this surface.

“I think ultimately we want to stretch him out beyond a mile and a quarter,” Pletcher said. “I think the way he’s run on turf he seems to carry his speed. We’re just trying to figure out when the right time is.”

As a 3-year-old, Noble Indy chased the Triple Crown races. He won the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby but finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby and last of 10 in the Belmont Stakes when Justify completed his Triple Crown.

In between his 3- and 4-year-old seasons, Noble Indy, a son of Take Charge Indy, was gelded. Still, his dirt form remained poor. Noble Indy has raced four times on turf, with his first win coming in a 1 1/8-mile allowance here on Sept. 20.

“On turf, for whatever reason, he’s more game and shows a little more desire,” Pletcher said. “It wouldn’t be obvious looking at his pedigree that he’s better on the turf, but his performances recently have been.”

If Pletcher opts to run Noble Indy on Monday, he will still have Pillar Mountain to run in the Point of Entry. Pillar Mountain won allowance races at 1 3/8 miles at Belmont and Saratoga, but found the Grade 1 Sword Dancer a bit too tough and then finished seventh in the Kentucky Downs Turf Cup just two weeks later.

Pillar Mountain only ran in the Sword Dancer after scratching from the listed John’s Call Stakes when that race was rained off the turf.

“He didn’t run badly in [the Sword Dancer]; wheeled him back too soon in the Kentucky Downs race,” Pletcher said. “He’s in good form now and I think he’s a horse that still has some room to step up.”

Red Knight has recorded three of his six wins at Belmont. In his lone try going 1 1/2 miles, he was beaten a half-length by Bigger Picture in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at Keeneland in April. He has gone off form since then.

Manitoulin is another who has three wins at Belmont, and he is coming off a win at Colonial Downs.

Arrocha, Carlino, and Paret complete the field.