Pletcher works three possible Whitney runners
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher could run as many as three horses in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, and a week before the race, all three put in their final workouts over the main track.
Life Is Good, under exercise rider Amelia Green, put in his usual strong move, going four furlongs in 48.25 seconds, followed by a stellar gallop-out. Life Is Good went out five furlongs in 1:00.94, six furlongs in 1:13.15 and seven furlongs in 1:26.47.
“He seems like he’s as good as ever,” Pletcher said. “He pretty much does the same thing every time. He’s ultra-consistent, trains with enthusiasm every day.”
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Life Is Good comes into the Whitney off a five-length victory in the Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes on July 2 at Belmont Park, his seventh victory in nine career starts.
Happy Saver, the 2020 Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, went a half-mile in 49.63 seconds in company with potential Whitney starter Americanrevolution.
The Whitney was the logical choice for Happy Saver following his runner-up finish behind Flightline in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 11. Happy Saver is 2 for 3 at the 1 1/8 miles of the Whitney, including a first-level allowance win here as a 3-year-old in July 2020.
Americanrevolution, second to Olympiad in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs, is under consideration for the Whitney or he could wait for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a Grade 1, 1 1/4-mile race here on Sept. 3. The Grade 1 Woodward, run this year at Aqueduct on Oct. 1, might also be a possibility for Americanrevolution.
“You could pass this, wait for the Jockey Club, gives you a little more time,” said Pletcher. “You could run here, pass the Jockey Club and run in the Woodward. Could enter and only run if we had some bad luck with Life Is Good. We’ll see how it shakes out.”
Both Life Is Good and Americanrevolution are owned by WinStar Farm and China Horse Club. Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Life Is Good. Luis Saez would ride Americanrevolution if he runs, or if he doesn’t, Saez would pick up the mount on Happy Saver, previously ridden by Ortiz.
The field for the Whitney, a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 5, will be finalized on Wednesday morning when entries close and post positions are assigned.
Olympiad, who has won four graded stakes this year, and Grade 1 winner Hot Rod Charlie are considered definite.
Trainer Mark Casse said Saturday that he is planning to run Zoomer, a 6-year-old gelding he claimed for $50,000 here on July 17 for owner Gary Barber. Zoomer, by Curlin, won that $50,000 claimer by seven lengths, his 11th win in 37 career starts. Zoomer has been claimed 11 times for a total of $473,500.
Casse said Zoomer earned speed figures for that race that make him competitive in the Whitney. With the horse running back in 19 days, Casse doesn’t plan to give him a work before the race.
“He ran such a big race, we’ll let him do as little as possible,” Casse said.