Belmont Stakes a Jewel Within Reach for Pletcher

Trainer Todd Pletcher has had the bulk of his Triple Crown success in the Belmont Stakes. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
ELMONT, N.Y. -- Trainer Todd Pletcher is the first to acknowledge that his 1 for 43 record in the Kentucky Derby is hard to explain and is a source of consternation. His shortcomings in the opening leg of the Triple Crown, which deepened when he missed with three more starters this May, have drawn considerable media attention.
But it also must be noted that he is quietly building an enviable record in the Belmont Stakes, the last of the spring classics. He sandwiched near misses around Palace Malice’s victory in 2013. A rallying Stay Thirsty failed to overtake Ruler on Ice by only three-quarters of a length in 2011. He endured the toughest of beats last year when his Commissioner led until Tonalist stuck a neck in front just before the finish line.
Pletcher does not hesitate in putting his initial Belmont victory – his first in one of the Triple Crown races – at the top of his list. Rags to Riches outslugged Curlin during a memorable stretch duel in 2007 to become the third filly to win the mile-and-a-half race and the first since Tanya in 1905.
“When this is your home track, the Belmont is the marquee race at your home track,” Pletcher said. “I think it’s only natural to want to emphasize it.”
Pletcher, winner of an unprecedented seven Eclipse Awards as the leading trainer in North America, will send two starters into this year’s Belmont in Materiality and Madefromlucky. He withdrew Carpe Diem, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up, at the start of the week.
MATERIALITY

Photo by NYRA/Susie Raisher
Materiality, unraced at 2, won the Florida Derby in only his fourth career start and used that as a steppingstone to a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby that was more encouraging that it might sound. He hesitated at the start, leaving him to be squeezed in the early strides, and he dropped back steadily before he recovered and finished with a rush for Javier Castellano, his jockey in the run for the roses.
Pletcher noted that Materiality stood in the starting gate at Churchill Downs for an inordinately long time as a field of 18 loaded. The wait will not be nearly as long when eight horses are loaded for the Belmont Stakes.
“Hopefully, his time in the gate will be considerably less than it was before the Derby,” Pletcher said. “He was the third horse to load in the Derby, and he spent a long time in the gate. The only thing I can think of and came to the conclusion, he fell asleep a little bit in the gate. He’s always been a horse that breaks well.”
Pletcher hopes Madefromlucky follows the same path as Tonalist, who used a win in the Peter Pan Stakes to prep for a victory in the Belmont. “He has a win over the track,” the trainer noted. “And it seems he (handles) the turns the best here at Belmont.”
MADEFROMLUCKY

Photo by NYRA/Susie Raisher
Pletcher has skipped the Preakness each of the last four years, preferring to freshen his Derby starters and target the Belmont. His willingness to depart from conventional thinking helps to explain his perennial success. He has started only seven horses in the Preakness and missed with all of them, including Super Saver, his 2010 Derby champion.
“Everyone goes into the Derby and gets caught up in the Triple Crown buzz,” he said. “Part of that makes you want to stay on that trail and go to the Preakness. But you step away and there will be plenty of buzz around the Travers and other big races.”
$1.5 million Belmont StakesSaturday, June 6, Belmont Park, 6:50 p.m. ET1 1/2 miles, dirt, 3-year-oldsTV COVERAGE: 4:30-7 p.m. ET on NBC 

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

ML Odds

1

Mubtaahij

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Mike de Kock

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum
 

10-1

2

Tale of Verve

Gary Stevens

Dallas Stewart

Charles Fipke
 

15-1

3

Madefromlucky

Javier Castellano

Todd Pletcher

Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol
 

12-1

4

Frammento

Mike Smith

Nick Zito

Mossarosa
 

30-1

5

American Pharoah

Victor Espinoza

Bob Baffert

Zayat Stables
 

3-5

6

Frosted

Joel Rosario

Kiaran McLaughlin

Godolphin Racing
 

5-1

7

Keen Ice

Kent Desormeaux

Dale Romans

Donegal Racing
 

20-1

8

Materiality

John Velazquez

Todd Pletcher

Alto Racing
 

6-1