Virus hits Pletcher barn; Protonico out of Foster

ELMONT, N.Y. – Protonico, a multiple graded stakes winner, became the latest horse to be impacted by a virus running through trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn and was removed from consideration for next Saturday’s Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Protonico, 4, had won the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill in his last start and the Grade 3 Ben Ali at Keeneland before that.

Other horses affected by the virus include Dame Dorothy and Stopchargingmaria – both of whom had been under consideration for Saturday’s Grade 1 Ogden Phipps here – and Blofeld, a 3-year-old sprinter who had been under consideration for the Woody Stephens.

“Strange to have a virus get your older horses,” Pletcher said. “This time of year, when you have a lot of babies coming in, you expect to have some sick babies. Whatever the strand is, it’s affecting older horses for some reason.”

Pletcher said his Belmont Stakes horses Materiality and Madefromlucky have not been impacted by the virus.

Pletcher still will be represented in the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster by Commissioner, the winner of the Grade 3 Pimlico Special in his last start. On Friday, Commissioner worked five furlongs in 1:00.50 over the Belmont training track, the fastest of 22 moves at the distance.

“He’s best at a mile and three-sixteenths up to a mile and a half,” Pletcher said. “If the pace scenario sets up right, I think a mile and an eighth is okay.”

Pletcher said that Mylute, the winner of a recent one-mile allowance race at Belmont, will be pointed to the Grade 2 Suburban at 1 1/4 miles on July 4.

“I think he’s proven effective at longer distances in the past,” Pletcher said. “That’s a logical spot.”

The Pletcher-trained Tonasah was scratched from Thursday’s Astoria Stakes after unseating jockey Javier Castellano in the post parade and running loose for more than five minutes. Pletcher said the 2-year-old filly escaped the incident unscathed.