Rally Cry targets Gotham Stakes as Pletcher shows off arsenal

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – With designs on upcoming Kentucky Derby preps for his 3-year-olds, plus major stakes engagements for two of his older runners, trainer Todd Pletcher on Saturday morning here at Palm Beach Downs worked 35 of his runners, including Derby prospects Rally Cry and Destin, the older horses Itsaknockout and General a Rod, and the comebacking 3-year-old filly Rachel’s Valentina.

Rally Cry was the first of the morning’s workers and will be among the first to race next. Pletcher said Rally Cry will head to New York for next Saturday’s Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct after he worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds, which was followed by an energetic gallop-out.

“He’s been training that way,” Pletcher said. “He was very impressive.”

Rally Cry most recently finished third in an allowance behind the Chad Brown-trained Shagaf, who is also ticketed to the Gotham.

“The door closed on him, and he went from being head-and-head to being last,” Pletcher said. “I was proud he was able to get back into the race and finish third. He’s been training like a good horse.”

Although Pletcher’s horses officially work a half-mile, they usually have a pretty good run to the pole, and he allows them to gallop out extensively, so the drills are more stamina building than they might appear on paper.

Destin, the Sam F. Davis Stakes winner, worked in company with Gulfstream allowance winner Battery, and both were credited with a half-mile time of 48.43 seconds. Those two, along with the imposing Outwork, who worked five furlongs in 59.81 seconds, are all being considered for the Tampa Bay Derby on March 12 or the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 19, Pletcher said.

General a Rod worked five furlongs in 1:00.75 in company with Madefromlucky, and Pletcher called the move “an enthusiastic breeze.”

“That should be good enough to set him up for the Santa Anita Handicap,” Pletcher said of the March 12 race for older horses in California, which is where General a Rod is scheduled to go next.

Itsaknockout will stay at Gulfstream for next Saturday’s Gulfstream Park Handicap, a one-turn mile. He worked four furlongs in 48.79 seconds. He most recently was fourth in the Donn Handicap on Feb. 6.

“He didn’t run badly in the Donn, just not as well as we thought he would,” said Pletcher, who said Itsaknockout had “grown up and filled out” physically since his 3-year-old year.

Rachel’s Valentina worked a half-mile in 48.94 seconds, her third local work since returning to Pletcher after she had a trio of works on the farm of her owner, Stonestreet Stables.

“She always trains well,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said Rachel’s Valentina should be set to return to the races “April 2, April 9, around then.” She has not raced since finishing second to divisional champion Songbird in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.