Theory sitting on ready for Bay Shore

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While Todd Pletcher is seemingly loaded with 3-year-old horses who want to go a route of ground, he also has a couple of pretty talented one-turn horses in the division.

One of them is Theory, the winner of the Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont last fall, who will make his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct. This became Plan B for Theory after the Spectacular Bid Stakes, scheduled for March 25 at Gulfstream Park, failed to fill.

Theory was one of the most impressive debut winners at Saratoga last summer, winning a six-furlong race by 5 1/2 lengths. He had a foot issue that sidelined him until October, when he won the Futurity by 3 1/2 lengths. He then attempted two turns in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita but finished 10th.

Distance may not have been the issue because he was found to have a 103-degree fever after the race. Theory spent three weeks in Southern California before shipping to WinStar Farm in Kentucky. He shows 12 works in south Florida leading up to the Bay Shore.

“We wanted to make sure and give him plenty of time to recuperate,” Pletcher said. “Obviously, he was ready to run in the Spectacular Bid and probably ready to run a week or so before that.”

Among those Theory is expected to face in the seven-furlong Bay Shore are Caledonian and Even Thunder, the one-two finishers in the Jimmy Winkfield; You’re to Blame, Long Haul Bay, or both from the barn of Chad Brown; and Miggsy, a recent maiden winner going long for trainer Rudy Rodriguez.

Theory won’t be facing Favorable Outcome in the Bay Shore. Favorable Outcome, who won his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Swale at Gulfstream on Feb. 4, is out until the fall after undergoing surgery to remove a knee chip, trainer Brown said.

Favorable Outcome, a son of Flatter, won his debut at Saratoga by six lengths and finished third in the Grade 1 Champagne behind Practical Joke at Belmont last October. He ended his 2-year-old campaign with a 12th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last November at Santa Anita.

Meanwhile, Syndergaard, another one of Pletcher’s talented one-turn 3-year-olds, is nearing a return. Last Friday, Syndergaard worked five furlongs in 1:01.49 at Palm Beach Downs. Pletcher said he is targeting the Woody Stephens Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day but would like to start Syndergaard once before then.

Syndergaard lost the Champagne by a nose.