It seems remarkable to suggest that, at the age of 37, there is very little Todd Pletcher hasn’t accomplished in thoroughbred racing.
Polished and slightly baby-faced, Pletcher has become one of the top trainers in the world over the last few years while conditioning some of the most expensive horses for the world’s rich and famous.
In 2004, he received an Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding trainer when he saddled 240 winners, including Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff champion Ashado and Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Speightstown.
There is only one thing missing from Pletcher’s resume, and that’s a victory in the Kentucky Derby. Since saddling his first Derby horse in 2000, Pletcher has saddled nine horses in the 1 1/4-mile event. His best finish came in 2001, when he saddled long shot Invisible Ink to a second-place finish behind Monarchos.
But in a year when Pletcher didn’t know if he’d have the horsepower to get to Churchill Downs, he is ready to arrive for the May 7 Kentucky Derby with three legitimate starters and his best chance yet of winning the Triple Crown’s first leg.
It’s a bit surprising that Pletcher is in this situation. When he arrived in South Florida with his stable early in the winter, Pletcher mentioned Harlington, a $2.9 million son of Unbridled, as his top Derby contender. But Harlington wrenched an ankle Feb. 12 when finishing sixth in the Risen Star Stakes in New Orleans. Other stables might not have been able to withstand such a loss, but Pletcher found talented replacements.
First came Flower Alley, who after breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park won the Lane’s End Stakes in Kentucky and finished second in the Arkansas Derby. Then came Fountain of Youth runner-up Bandini, who returned from a two-month layoff and bruised foot to win the Blue Grass Stakes.
Now comes Coin Silver to complete Pletcher’s hat trick of Derby starters. The lightly raced son of Anees, who broke his maiden March 5 at Gulfstream before finishing third in an entry-level allowance race three weeks ago, won Saturday’s Lexington Stakes at Keeneland over a sloppy track.
Pletcher called Coin Silver’s performance “a big move forward” and said he hoped to run the colt in the Kentucky Derby.
Pletcher has as good a shot as ever in this year’s Derby. All three of his horses have tremendous potential, they’re lightly raced and they have yet to peak. Pretty enviable, really.
