Pletcher Sends Trio of Colts to Long Branch

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out three of the seven 3-year-olds entered for the July 9 Long Branch Stakes, Monmouth Park's final local prep for the betfair.com Haskell Invitational (gr. I) July 31.

Uncle Vinny, owned by Starlight Racing, is coming off a second place finish behind fellow Long Branch starter Tiz Long Gone in a $47,000 allowance event at Monmouth May 30.

The 3-year-old colt by Uncle Mo   had stakes success in his 2-year-old season, finishing third in the grade I Hopeful Stakes and credited with winning the Sanford Stakes (gr. III) when Magna Light was disqualified for interference.

Uncle Vinny has worked three times since his last start, all at Monmouth. The latest came July 1, when he went four furlongs in :50 4/5 on the main track.

Breaking to the outside of Uncle Vinny will be Azar. The 3-year-old Pletcher trainee by Scat Daddy   is making only his second start on dirt. 

In that lone start, Azar stalked the early pace before getting up in time to score a three-quarter-length victory in an allowance/optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park Feb. 28. 

Azar is exiting an eighth-place finish in the Pennine Ridge (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park June 4.

Owned by Alto Racing, Azar was shipped to Monmouth after his last start and worked twice over the main track with the most recent being July 3, when he went four furlongs in :49.

Azar broke his maiden with a win in the With Anticipation Stakes (gr. IIT) Sept. 2 at Saratoga Race Course before running 13th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) at Keeneland.

Rounding out the trio of Pletcher entries is Unbridled Daddy. The 3-year-old colt by Scat Daddy is coming out of the Penn Mile (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course June 4, when he finished seventh behind Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT) winner Catch a Glimpse.

Owned by Red Oak Stable, Unbridled Daddy is making his first career start on dirt in the Long Branch. All seven of his previous starts had been over the turf.

Unbridled Daddy last found the winners' circle in an allowance/optional claiming race Mar. 19 at Gulfstream, where he got bumped at the break and spotted the field more than five lengths before storming home to a four-length win. He also is graded stakes-placed. He finished third in the With Anticipation in 2015 and in the Woodhaven Stakes this year.

Unbridled Daddy has worked three times over the Monmouth main track, with the most recent coming July 3, when he went four furlongs in :49 2/5.

"All three have been training well here," said Anthony Sciametta, Pletcher's assistant. "They galloped easy today to get ready for Saturday."

The other four horses entering are allowance winners Someday Jones, No Distortion, Tiz Long Gone, and Voluntario, who is also entered in the July 9 Dwyer Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont.