Pletcher Sends Quartet for Tremont Stakes

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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Chelsea Durand
Analyze the Odds wins by 4 1/2 lengths in debut

No stranger to success with juveniles, trainer Todd Pletcher has entered four runners in the $150,000 Tremont Stakes for 2-year-olds going 5 1/2 furlongs on Belmont Park's main track June 9.

Out of the eight slated to line up, Pletcher's four runners are, Siena Farm homebred Admiral Jimmy, Starlight Racing's Salmanazar, and Repole Stable's Analyze Your Luck and Analyze the Odds.

Both sired by multiple graded stakes winner Overanalyze  , who was also trained by Pletcher and owned by Mike Repole, Analyze Your Luck and Analyze the Odds each won their debuts in New York. Facing a six-horse field, New York-bred Analyze Your Luck won going five furlongs over an off track May 5 at Belmont by 2 1/4 lengths. Kentucky-bred Analyze the Odds made his debut April 20 at Aqueduct Racetrack and won by 4 1/2 lengths.

Admiral Jimmy won his first start in a field of five May 3 at Gulfstream Park. Lastly, Salmanazar, a son of Shackleford  , took his debut at Keeneland April 26 to win by 1 1/2 lengths from a field of 10.

"We entered four all in the same boat, all have run once and all have won," Pletcher said. "We'll see how it shakes out.

"The Tremont is important for the 2-year-old program in New York and I'm glad to see them bring it back (in 2014)," he added. "The effort they've made to get the 2-year-old program started a little earlier has paid off based on what I've seen in the entries so far. People are now coming in with their 2-year-olds a little earlier. One of the problems we had for a while was once you broke your maiden you really didn't have anywhere to go. Having the Tremont on the calendar and a couple of New York-bred stakes at the end of the meet gives you some options. It's a good opportunity for some of these more precocious sorts to take advantage of their precocity."

Salmanazar will leave from post 7 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Admiral Jimmy will depart from post 2 with Javier Castellano aboard, Analyze Your Luck from post 6 with Manny Franco, and Analyze the Odds and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. from the outermost post 8.

Shipping in from Maryland and looking to pick up a stakes win in his second start is He Hate Me for Sagamore Farm. Trained by Horacio DePaz, the son of Algorithms   won his debut by 1 3/4 lengths May 26 at Pimlico Race Course. Drawing the rail, He Hate Me will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will enter Direct Dial for owner Bill Farish. Bred by his owner in Texas, the son of Too Much Bling   impressively won his debut by 7 3/4 lengths April 26 at Keeneland.

Rounding out the field is Presence of Mind for Spa City Stables and trainer George Weaver and Wonder How for owner and trainer John Salzman.

Tremont S.

Belmont Park, Friday, June 09, 2017, Race 5
  • STK
  • 5 1/2f
  • Dirt
  • $150,000
  • 2 yo
  • 2:56 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1He Hate Me (FL) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 121 Horacio DePaz 8/1
2 2Admiral Jimmy (KY) Javier Castellano 121 Todd A. Pletcher 5/1
3 3Presence of Mind (NY) Luis Saez 121 George Weaver 12/1
4 4Wonder How (WV) Angel S. Arroyo 121 John E. Salzman, Sr. 15/1
5 5Direct Dial (TX) Jose L. Ortiz 121 Steven M. Asmussen 5/2
6 6Analyze Your Luck (NY) Manuel Franco 121 Todd A. Pletcher 12/1
7 7Salmanazar (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate John R. Velazquez 121 Todd A. Pletcher 2/1
8 8Analyze the Odds (NY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 121 Todd A. Pletcher 6/1