Anchor Down Heads Cigar Mile

Trainer Todd Pletcher feels Anchor Down has made it clear what his wheelhouse is, which is why the seven-time Eclipse Award winning conditioner says he isn't having any pangs about what might have been.

Anchor Down's proficiency over a one-turn mile is what prompted Pletcher and owner Alto Racing to bypass sending the son of Tapit   to the Nov. 4 Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I) in favor of targeting the $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 26.

After watching Tamarkuz  —whom Anchor Down vanquished during his sizzling Kelso Handicap (gr. II) win—prevail in the Dirt Mile, Pletcher is banking on his charge proving their collective instincts correct when the 5-year-old ridgling breaks from the rail in a field 10 in the eight-furlong test.

MITCHELL: Anchor Down Scorches Kelso Field

"He's got good tactical speed and it seems like he's proven that a one-turn mile is his favorite trip," Pletcher said. "That's why we decided to wait for the Cigar Mile instead of taking him to the Breeders' Cup."

Patience has already paid off for Anchor Down in his career. Unraced at 2, he won both of his starts at age 3, but then was off for more than a year before resurfacing in an allowance race at Aqueduct in April 2015. After winning just once in 10 starts from that April race to his fourth-place run in the Carter Handicap (gr. I) this April, the gray horse turned the corner with a gate-to-wire, 6 3/4-length victory in the Westchester Stakes (gr. III) May 7.

After running second behind Frosted   in that one's record-setting Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) effort, Anchor Down recovered from a sixth-place outing in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. I) July 30 by taking the one-mile Kelso by two lengths in a sharp 1:32.90 at Belmont Park Oct. 8.

"Anytime you can run a solid 1:33 mile, you're in rarefied territory," Pletcher said.

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway, Anchor Down has won five of 16 starts with $719,254 in earnings.

Trainer Chad Brown will try and derail Anchor Down with a trio of entries in the Cigar Mile, led by Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) winner Connect. The son of Curlin   faces elders for the first time, will be making his first start since his upset half-length score in the $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby, and is cutting back in distance for the first time since breaking his maiden over 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont in May. 

"He's fine to cut back," Brown said. "He won on Belmont Day in a (1 1/16 mile) allowance race going one turn and he looked good doing it, so I don't think the move to one turn will bother him."

Brown is also set to saddle Economic Model, winner of the June 11 Easy Goer Stakes, and Threefiveindia, most recently second in the Oct. 29 Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) at Belmont.

The barn of Barclay Tagg is another with multiple Cigar Mile representatives in impressive allowance winner Realm and graded stakes-placed Tale of S'avall.