Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Mary Zinke — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:11:20 GMT

Thanks for the amusing time I spent with your punching bag earlier, B.E. Do I send you the cleaning bill for what your dog left? :)

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Weekend — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:54:42 GMT

Mary, hahahaahaha. Some things never change.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Mary Zinke — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:52:58 GMT

BH, You have an escapee over at ntra.com. Please reimburse them for diaper service. Crying babies don't understand tips about Derby hopefuls like Afford.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Footlick — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:29:48 GMT

Utopian just missed. Hit It Rich just missed. Hollinger just missed. At least I had Hymn Book. I guess mine was disappointing knowing what it could have been.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Weekend — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:22:54 GMT

I would call this weekend UGLY too if I picked as bad as you Forbidden Apple. I might go as far as calling it FUGLY. El Kabong's 2 singles both won, Spring Hill Farm and Golden Ticket.

Leparoux is riding Union Rags in the FOY.

Thunder Moccasin is a sprinter/miler type. He won easy, but he was gassed past the wire.

Joyful Victory looked good also, maybe she can turn it around this year.

Tonight, WHITE OUT, U of L V CUSE. Let's get 8 in a row Louisville...

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Forbidden Apple — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:37:58 GMT

El Kabong,

I don't quite understand your recent posts. Are you saying that you have a pocket full of Silver Medallion's after betting on Spring Hill Farm($3.60) and Thunder Moccasin($2.40)? For me I can sum up yesterday's races with one word, ugly.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

the_wiz — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:40:50 GMT

Fed Biz

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

El Kabong — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:46:14 GMT

3000 TP trained V's. I'll have a coldfacts cheeseburger, some salty forbidden apple fries and a big TODD MILKSHAKE to go, go and keep going.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

El Kabong — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:31:01 GMT

Billy,

5$ pick 3

4 with 257 with 8. Good luck.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Forbidden Apple — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:06:02 GMT

I was completely surprised to see Battle Hardened on the cover of the recent Bloodhorse edition. This was a slap in the face to Ultimate Eagle and Game on Dude. There is more going on in horse racing than the 3 year old prep races.

saturday picks at Gulfstream:

3) Space Race

6) Silent Fright

7) Fastest Magician

8) Ever So Lucky

9) Here To Win

10) Flat Out/Ruler On Ice/Sangaree

11) Yankee Fourtune/Smart Bid/Boisterous

Here To Win is an unknown horse with plenty of ability. Yankee Fourtune can win if he sits behind Get Stormy and gets the first run to the wire. I am expecting Flat Out to rebound in the Donn.

saturday picks at Santa Anita:

5)Askra

7)Le Mans

8)Hout Bay/Pink Lollipops

9)Sanagas

The 7/8/9 pick three looks solid to me, but a bit chalky. Le Mans is set for his first turf outing. Hout Bay should get a fast pace up front. And Sanagas is just too good for this field.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Householder — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:48:25 GMT

I love the stamina on the female line of Creative Cause. He sure looked "long and steady" from a stalking trip in the Breeder's Cup. If it was not for Union Rags ducking and weaving in the stretch like a drunk salor CC may have finished second. About 100 yards out Union Rags ducks in and pins Creative Cause behind Hansen. I don't know if was from lack of preparation, or Union Rags getting tired, but they will certainly have to get that cleared up before moving forward.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

MikeM — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:53:29 GMT

Pletcher is a VERY good trainer and an even better business man. The one sure thing you can bet on is he will run in the Derby whether he has a legit contender or not. Much like Lukas.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Footlick — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:17:15 GMT

What is a trainer's job? Win races and money. That is what Pletcher does. He attracts clients who want early results and he gets them. If the majority of his clients are happy, then he is doing exactly what he should be doing.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Mike Relva — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:57:16 GMT

Jason

What makes you Pletcher's protector? Are you on his payroll?

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Weekend — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:55:08 GMT

So yesterday, I found a Derby horse that our non-betting, Peta loving, always in a bad mood, tight wallet friend can play, AFFORD. Out of Street Sense and bred by James Tafel, he won going 1 mile 70 yards and closed to win by a nose after being 4-5 wide in the race. He is one to watch.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Weekend — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:40:49 GMT

Just an FYI, they named the horse "The Green Monkey" after a golf course in Barbados that they played on.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

TerriZ — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:31:22 GMT

Discreet Dancer has recovered from his fever and is now training according to Facebook.

And as far as him getting the distance, his female line has the distance and stamina and is first class. His dam, West Side Dancer, is from Gone West. Union Rags' dam Tempo, also has a very impressive pedigree and is from Gone West.

The last Gone West descendent to nearly reach the triple crown was Smarty Jones.

It would be a great 90th birthday present for Penny Chenery for her to see a Secretariat descendent win the triple crown.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

RJPPDP — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:34:45 GMT

Todd Pletcher is great trainer and he gets his horses to the derby. He might not have a high percentage but at least he gets them to the dance. I feel each derby is there own set of circumstances. Who would have guessed Animal Kingdom, Mine That Bird or Giacomo would have won the derby. Chip Wooley is 100% at the derby. Come on!

I am excited about Algorithms, Discreet Dancer,Gemologist, El Padrino and Spring Hill Farm. Pletcher is stacked and if everything works out,he could have his second derby win.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Mathieu — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:55:00 GMT

Matthew W-

I'm a sucker for old track stories and yours definitely is a fit with the vivid personal details layered upon the period history.

Nice post.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Matthew W — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:20:31 GMT

1972 at Santa Anita was my second year as a race fan but it was my first year that I was able to attend most Saturdays--little did I know, 1972 was a magical Santa Anita season, one for the ages, from the five horse photo, a neck separating Autobiography, Triple Bend, Unconscious, Good Councel, His Majesty--in the San Fernando...to the Santa Margarita five horse photo, of Turkish Trousers, Typecast, Convenience, Manta, and Street Dancer! I was glued to Turkish Trousers, a beautiful, small blackish filly of immense class--and I watched her from saddling through warm-ups, watched Shoe push her through that small hole on the inside...saw her get there before another smallish filly, the great Typecast! Had her at 9-2! And, yes, I was there for the Derby--watched Jerry Fanning's Solar Salute throttle them--and the other Cal-bred, the heavy fave Royal Owl, hang, a week after I saw him work out, between races, in 1:34 3/5....I "knew" he was spent after that rediculous work, he had worked right after the other Derby fave, another Cal-bred, Macurthur Park, worked 1:35 3/5....Mac bowed I think--he retired, I know that! Royal Owl, by Crazy Kid, was one of the largest horses I ever saw race--he died a horrible death at Big Sandy, he was high priced claimer by then, strange place for an ultra fast Cal bred, but that is where he ended up(side) sigh...but, yes, Santa Anita Derby Day--I was thirteen, my little sister Mary asked Frank Olivares for his autograph, she said "Mr Pincay, may I have your autograph?"...."I'm not Pincay", he blurted back at her, taking her program and signing it anyway---she asked Shoe for his...and as his handlers were trying to whisk him away, he abrubtly turned back, and trotted over to my sis, signing it among "ooohhsss" and " ahhhss's"...I think my dad and I bet Quack--and we left as they were going down the stretch--and Quack hung again...but oh, what was to come! His Hollywood Gold was one of the best races I have seen, as far as singular performance goes--Quack ran incredibly that day!

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Tiz Herself — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:24:54 GMT

Also like Algorithms as well. Bernardini's three year olds are going to have a huge year.

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Tiz Herself — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:22:54 GMT

I really like Gemologist. I can't wait to see his 2012 debut!

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

dannyoc13 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:44:48 GMT

Long time reader of this blog, but never have commented. But reading all of this reminds me of how this is my favorite time of year. Derby season has begun!

Who cares if you love Pletcher or not? Bet the horse you think will pay - if you win all the better. Although in most races if you bet a Pletcher horse you get no value - I would have no problem taking a Pletcher horse in the Derby if the price is right and that's the horse I believe in.

The only trainer I would never bet on is that dirtbag Dutrow. The fact he still has a license at all is a whole other blog topic.

Keep up the good work Jason - love the blog!

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Johnny — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:30:30 GMT

Great post coldfacts and thank goodness Ice Box got checked 3 times or S.S would of got place $$$

re: Ho-Hum, Pletcher Loaded Again

Slew — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:39:43 GMT

Fed Biz looked great today.

HRTV showed Shackelford out for a stroll today. My gosh! His muscles have grown muscles. He looked huge....almost overly so. Can't wait to see the Donn.