Pletcher Takes Unorthodox Approach to Derby 145

Trainer Todd Pletcher, seeking his third victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), took an unorthodox approach to the May 4 classic, shipping his two contenders to Churchill Downs at the last possible moment.

Pletcher's entrants—Starlight Racing's Cutting Humor and Wertheimer and Frere's Spinoff—arrived at 9:30 a.m. ET April 30, following an early morning flight from Florida, accompanied by undefeated Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner Maximum Security, Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Vekoma, and Florida Derby runner-up Bodexpress, the lone Derby entry on the also-eligible list.

"This is the latest we've ever come in, and with both of them coming off six weeks' rest, we felt like a consistent training schedule was very important, so we decided to stay in Florida," said Pletcher, standing outside Barn 40 on a mostly cloudy, breezy, pleasant morning May 1. "We kind of monitored the weather the last few weeks, and it seems like we had a little more reliable schedule there.

"They settled in well, ate up last night, and had good gallops over the track this morning. So far, so good."

A son of Hard Spun , Spinoff ran second in the March 23 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) in his previous start. Cutting Humor, a 3-year-old by First Samurai , took the March 24 Sunland Derby (G3) in track-record time of 1:46.94 for 1 1/8 miles.

Compared with early Derby favorite Omaha Beach and the Bob Baffert-trained trio of Game Winner, Improbable, and Roadster, among others that are getting a lot of attention in Louisville this week, Pletcher's pair are under the radar.

"Both have had six weeks in between races," the conditioner said. "That's partly why they're under the radar a little bit. They ran in prep races the farthest away from Derby Day. I like the way they have been training."

Pletcher, who won the 2017 Derby with Always Dreaming  and the 2010 edition with Super Saver , said there seems to be parity among the sophomore set this year, which could make for a competitive classic.

"It seems like a very, very good group of horses but also a very wide open race," he said. "Last year, everybody talked about how it might be one of the strongest Derbys in history and it turned out not to be, and I think this year, maybe because it's so wide open, people aren't giving it the credit it deserves."

With a 100% chance of rain in Louisville Saturday, Pletcher said he does not believe a muddy or sloppy track will be problematic for his horses, although neither has much experience with off tracks.

"From seeing them train a little bit, I believe they would handle it fine," he said. "From a pedigree standpoint, they'll handle it fine. You just never know. In a 20-horse field on a sloppy track, things can change in a hurry at the break."

Analyzing his two Derby starters, Pletcher said Cutting Humor's Sunland Park victory was particularly impressive and that the colt is coming into the Derby off two bullet workouts at his base at Palm Beach Downs, a five-furlong breeze in :59.58 April 19 and four furlongs in :48.01 April 26.

"I thought Cutting Humor's last two breezes were exceptionally good—really strong breezes with good gallop outs you hope to lead into a 1 1/4-mile race," he said. "I know the Sunland Park surface was very hard when he ran there, but it is pretty rare when you see 3-year-olds in March shade 1:47 going 1 1/8 miles. I thought that was a quality performance and like the way he's trained since."

Pletcher said Spinoff, a homebred prepared for racing at the Florida training center of his father, J. J. Pletcher, began living up to the high expectations his connections had for him when he broke his maiden at first asking and finished third in the Saratoga Special Stakes Presented by Miller Lite (G2).

"They were high on him when they were breaking him as a yearling and 2-year-old, and when he had a little bit of a setback after the race at Saratoga," the trainer said. "At that time, we said our schedule is to get him back in time to hopefully prepare him for the Derby, and things fell into place. He's trained exceptionally well all along, and I think his Louisiana Derby was a very good race. He kind of made the lead and idled a little bit, and a horse came to him and he dug back in, but it was just a little too late to build back up some momentum. With a good six weeks of preparation since then, I think we have him in as good of a position he can be in."

Cutting Humor breaks from post 10 under Corey Lanerie at 30-1 morning-line odds; Spinoff, also 30-1, drew post position 19 and will be ridden by Manny Franco.

"I don't mind (post 19) so much, especially with a lightly raced horse like Spinoff," Pletcher said. "He hasn't had a lot of experience getting kickback. At a mile and a quarter, he should have time to work his way over, and he's traditionally been a good gate horse. So if he can get away and get into a good stalking position going into the first turn, we'll be happy.

"Cutting Humor is right in the middle at 10, and hopefully he can work out a good trip from there. The good thing is with the loading process, neither will have to stand in the gate very long."