Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour: Todd Pletcher

We follow the self-mandated protocol every summer. Make an appointment, do the research, make a list, show up early, settle in and listen.

“Might be a short list,” Todd Pletcher joked outside his barn Monday morning while confirming the annual leadoff edition of the Fasig-Tipton Stable Tour.

Six hours later the list went 40 deep – that’s before we made some cuts – and it took about an hour and more than 4,000 words to detail just part of one of racing’s most decorated and deep stables. Pletcher, sitting at 5,988 wins heading into today’s card at Saratoga Race Course, officially got on the board at the 2026 summer meeting with a winner Friday and two more Sunday. One came in the teeth-gnashing turf maiden fourth Sunday. More on that below.

Pletcher has averaged almost 30 wins per meet for the last 10 years, so the milestone 6,000th victory figures to happen near the midpoint of the 46-day meet. And that doesn’t include any potential winners out of town.

“Chipping away at it,” Pletcher said of the milestone reached by just five trainers.

The wins include 842 graded stakes – 211 Grade 1, 288 Grade 2 and 343 Grade 3. He’s North America’s all-time leading trainer by earnings with more than $524 million in purses, about $24 million clear of fellow Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

“He’s closing in, quickly,” said Pletcher, behind Asmussen, Jerry Hollendorfer, Jack Van Berg, King Leatherbury and Scott Lake on the all-time wins list.

Eight Eclipse Awards, the Hall of Fame induction in 2021, 10 North American earnings titles, six classic wins and 16 Breeders’ Cup wins in, Pletcher continues on the hunt for more. He nearly added another classic this spring with Renegade, who came up a neck short of Golden Tempo in the 152nd Kentucky Derby.

There are Derby seconds like Invisible Ink in 2001 and Bluegrass Cat in 2006, and then there are Derby seconds like Renegade.

“The one that stings is the Renegade Derby. That was a tough one,” Pletcher said. “That’s the first time that at the eighth pole I thought we might win. So that was a little different. We’ve had a few seconds, but they were late closing, not going to get there, never thought they were going to win during the course of the race.”

Narrow defeats haunt all horsemen, even the ones with trunks full of trophies and with plaques on Union Avenue.

“That’s a good question,” Pletcher said about how long it might take to get over one like that. “In this sport you have to brush yourself off from everything, every day, but that one you think about a little more than most.”

Pletcher also freely concedes that he’s come out on the right end of some close finishes – even already into this Saratoga meeting, and of course with filly Rags To Riches over Curlin in the 2007 Belmont Stakes – so he can’t complain too much.

“I’ve watched that (Rags To Riches’ win) a number of times and thought, if that goes the wrong way, you know …” he said. “Then I saw the other day when they were doing the Aqueduct interviews for closing day and asking people about memorable wins. Ramon Dominguez mentioned Stay Thirsty and when he won the Cigar Mile and beat Groupie Doll. That was still the best head-bob we’ve ever got. He was a neck behind and won somehow. We lost some of those too but that was the best head-bob we’ve ever got.”

Pletcher ranks sixth on the North American trainer standings this year with more than $8 million in purses. He’s won nine graded stakes so far and looks for more after what he called a “very disappointing Belmont Stakes weekend.”

“It just seemed like nothing went right,” he said. “We didn’t enter some horses very well. Trying to participate during that window, we didn’t do a great job of reading the condition book. Probably should have waited for some different spots. When you have clients coming in and they want to see their horses run, you enter a little ambitiously, which we did. We were fighting a bit of a virus in the barn, a few horses got sick after they ran. Which makes you think maybe they were harboring something, subclinical, those kinds of things.

“Whatever meet you want to call it, it was off to a slow start. Things picked up this past weekend. One on Friday, two Sunday. Hopefully a sign of things turning around.”

Pletcher won 19 juvenile races at last year’s Saratoga meet and the success of the barn often flows through the 2-year-olds. This year’s group looks well-meant yet again, stacked with high-dollar yearlings with pedigrees to make anyone envious.

“We’re just getting at that point where we’re starting to see what we have,” Pletcher said before going through the group with The Special’s Tom Law Monday afternoon.

Renegade: The big horse. Owned by Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable, 3-year-old son of Into Mischief won the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby before a narrow defeat to Golden Tempo in the Kentucky Derby. He skipped the Preakness and returned to finish third behind Golden Tempo and Commandment in final Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. He’s breezed three times since the Belmont, including a half last Friday in :48.11 on the main track.

“Thought he ran terrific in the Derby. Felt like we were just taking a little while rounding back into form for the Belmont. He had a good week leading into it. Everyone talks about the spacing of the Derby and the Preakness and the Belmont, and all this, in his case another week would have probably had him right back to where he was going into the Derby. He ran a respectable race but I don’t think he fired the same race he did in Arkansas or at Churchill. Now we have a little extra time, point to the Jim Dandy, he’s put back on some weight and doing well. He’s a quality horse, shows up and gives you an effort every time.”

Did you and the owners give any consideration to this weekend’s Haskell or was it always the Jim Dandy?

“We had the conversation. Our three Travers winners have all gone the Jim Dandy-Travers route. There’s an advantage to staying at home, having a race over the track, not shipping. We decided and felt like that was the best route for him.”

Liam’s Law: The most infamous winner here early in the meet, not for anything he did but instead because the race originally carded for 1 mile on the turf wound up being changed to 1 1/16 miles when jockeys raised concerns over the short run to the first turn and size of the field. Robert and Lawana Low’s 2-year-old from the first crop of the Pletcher-trained Grade 1 winner Colonel Liam won all the way on the lead by 1 1/4 lengths in his second start. Pletcher took pride in his association with Colonel Liam and his sire, Grade 1 winner Liam’s Map.

“Trained the sire and the grandsire, so you know you’re aging yourself, right? That was cool. The Lows purchased him in March and raced Colonel Liam. They were excited to have one win at Saratoga. Hopefully that’s a sign of good things to come. Looking through potential options, I don’t see a whole lot until the With Anticipation. We’ll look at that.”

So how about the long delay and eventual change in distance?

“I said something to one of the racing officials over there when they were asking if we were OK running a mile and a sixteenth. I said, ‘yeah, no problem, just don’t put the gate in the wrong place and make it a mile and an eighth.’ They did not think that was funny. They didn’t find the humor in that at all.”

Capturing: The barn’s first winner of the meet, 3-year-old More Than Ready filly won a 5 ½-furlong optional claimer on the turf last Friday for Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. She improved to 2-for-5 on the season, the other win also coming in a 5 ½-furlong turf allowance at Keeneland.

“Talk about a good head bob. She got a great one. Seems the cutback worked well for her. We’re still very proud of More Than Ready. He’s been a remarkable stallion.”

Ted Noffey: Spendthrift Farm’s unbeaten 2-year-old champion from last year missed the spring classics due to bone bruising. He resumed training late this spring and continues to progress at Ian Brennan’s farm back in Ocala. Son of Into Mischief sports 4-for-4 record with victories in a maiden and the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga last summer.

“I would imagine we’ll be seeing him here in the next couple weeks. He’s in Ocala. I saw him a couple weeks ago and he looks really well. One setback after another has delayed his comeback. I don’t think he’ll make a race at the meet but hopefully soon thereafter.”

Nearly: Another top 3-year-old on the Triple Crown trail this season, Centennial Farm’s Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes winner went to the sidelines with an ankle issue. Son of Not This Time has three wins in five starts.

“I think he goes back in training next week. He got some time off after the Florida Derby. He’s in Virginia, will start back with Paula Parsons (Centennial’s head trainer in Middleburg). Same thing, he’s probably a month away, foundation galloping and then will come to us. The good news about Ted Noffey and Nearly is there’s a chance they could stay in training at 4. That would be nice.”

Powershift: Repole Stable’s 3-year-old Constitution colt led early before fading to last of nine in the Belmont Stakes. He finished sixth in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby before a maiden win on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs earned him a spot in the Belmont.

“I thought that was disappointing. It was an ambitious placing coming off a maiden race but he always trained really well, trained with Renegade and other horses that we knew were graded stakes quality. The strange thing is I think the track was playing speed favoring pretty much the whole weekend, then it changed late in the day, we got the rain while they were in the post parade, the race came back with a slow time. Maybe that worked against him a little bit. He was a little tired after the race and we backed off, sent him to Ocala for a freshening. He’ll probably join us back at Palm Beach Downs when we get back there in September.”

Zany: Repole’s 3-year-old daughter of American Pharoah cost $350,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. The winner of last year’s Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct and the Suncoast Stakes in February at Tampa Bay Downs, she finished second in the Grade 1 Ashland before a sixth in the Kentucky Oaks. She joined Pletcher’s Saratoga division after that and has posted four breezes, including a bullet half Monday in :47.79 on the main track.

“She worked good this morning. We’re kind of torn between the Monmouth Oaks and the Coaching Club American Oaks. There’s a chance we cross enter. She worked well enough this morning that, we were originally taking the conservative route and going to Monmouth but that made us rethink that this morning. We’ll see.”

How would you make that decision, based on who is in each race or how she’s doing?

“Probably a combination of those things.”

Tommy Jo: Spendthrift Farm’s homebred Grade 1-winning daughter of Into Mischief finished last of 10 in her comeback last week in the Grade 3 Victory Ride. She won her debut and the Grade 1 Spinaway last summer at Saratoga before a victory by DQ in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland. Off since finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar, she came away slow at the start of the Victory Ride and raced toward the back of the field the entire 6 1/2 furlongs.

“I don’t have a good explanation. She seemed to come out of it well. She’s a very forward training filly, aggressive. The filly (Carmel Coast) broke through the gates next to her and she just kind of stood there. I was happy she didn’t do anything and follow suit, charge the doors herself, but it also made me think she’s pretty quiet not to react to that. Then she broke a length behind the field, got caked with dirt and never felt like she fired at all.

Regroup?

“Yes. Those kind are tough to gauge, too, because she’ll come back and breeze really well like she always does. It’s going to be hard to know for sure until we run her again. That was puzzling and disappointing.”

“Johnny (Velazquez) said he tried to leave there so hard that the ground just left and he spread-eagled. It looked like there were a couple that could go with the winner (Phileas Fogg), they didn’t and they backed it up into him, went slow. He tried hard, just in a difficult position the entire trip. I think we’ll keep an eye on the Whitney. Certainly on paper it’s coming up a super tough race, but if you start looking around at options there aren’t many. He hated Del Mar, didn’t do any good out there, didn’t handle the racetrack at all, so that wipes off the Pacific Classic. Then you look at other opportunities and there aren’t a ton of them. We’ll train like we’re looking at the Whitney and see if he trains accordingly.”

Tip Top Thomas: A $160,000 buy out of the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale, 4-year-old Grade 1-placed son of Volatile continued to progress toward his comeback with half-mile breeze in :49.56 Monday on the main track. Owned by James Bakke and Gerald Isbister, he won last year’s Grade 3 Indiana Derby and Smarty Jones Stakes. Off since a third in the Dwyer Stakes in early November at Aqueduct.

“I was watching the Indiana Derby this weekend and couldn’t believe it was a year since he won that. There’s an allowance race we’re kind of keeping an eye on. He’s a solid citizen for sure. Good training horse, always shows up, tries hard, versatile.”

Disruptor: Winner of the Grade 3 Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, 4-year-old son of Gun Runner went to sidelines after runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes on Derby Day. He’s 3-for-6 for partnership of Repole, Spendthrift, Big Easy Racing, Titletown Racing, Winners Win, Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich and Mark Parkinson.

“We had to give him a little bit of a break. He got sick after that race at Churchill. We couldn’t get him back on track. He’s another that will join us back at Palm Beach Downs in September. Talented horse and could have a good year next year if things go right.”

Grande: Repole’s 4-year-old son of Curlin won the Grade 3 Ghostzapper in late March at Gulfstream Park before back-to-back sixths in the Grade 2 Alysheba at Churchill and Grade 3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth. He’s 4-for-7 with $371,940 in earnings.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do with him. He didn’t run at all last time at Monmouth. We were hoping he’d run well there, come back for the Monmouth Cup. Didn’t seem to love it there. Might look at something at Colonial or an allowance race here.”

Grand Sonata: Whisper Hill Farm’s homebred multiple graded stakes winner won six of 35 starts with nine seconds and two thirds for $2,640,925.

“I think he is officially retired. I know they were trying hard to find a stallion deal somewhere. Not sure if they were successful. They were talking about Canada at some point. Just a couple nagging things. He’d been so good to us, had such a great career, wanted to go out while he was still healthy. If you look back over his career, a head here, a neck there, a half-length there, he could have been $8 million. He was a cool horse.”

Major Dude: Another fan favorite and a $550,000 purchase out of the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, 6-year-old multiple graded stakes-winning son of Bolt d’Oro finished 12th in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf in late January at Gulfstream Park in his 27th start. He won eight times with four seconds and five thirds for $1,418,747.

“Same thing, he was a farm favorite, a barn favorite, so he’s retired at Spendthrift and being rewarded for all the good he did for us.”

Be You: Repole’s 5-year-old Curlin gelding won the Toboggan Stakes in early February at Aqueduct before a third in the Grade 2 Carter and a fifth in the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes on Derby Day. He’s 4-for-14 with $396,940 in earnings.

“I thought there was going to be a race in here, this new book that came out last night, but there’s not. One of those horses, 6 furlongs is a little short, a mile is maybe a tick long, seven-eighths only comes around once in a while. Again, really nice horse that shows up every time. We’ll find a spot for him at some point. Meanwhile he might become Renegade’s weekly mate.”

Class President: WinStar Farm’s, First Go Racing’s and CHC Inc.’s 3-year-old Uncle Mo colt won the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes to put his name in the mix for the spring classics before he was scratched from the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland and went to the sidelines with bone bruising.

“He’s still at WinStar getting some time off. Elliott (Walden) was telling me a couple weeks ago he’s getting ready to get back in training. Talented horse. We need to get him back and he could have a good fall and next year, too.”

Courting: Owned by Whisper Hill, Stonestreet Stable and Windancer Farm and a $5 million yearling, 3-year-old son of Curlin out of multiple Grade 1 winner Cavorting flirted with potential run at the spring classics with sixth-place finishes in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds and Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Off since the latter, he’s breezed four times including a bullet half in company with Zany on the main track Monday.

“He worked this morning. That was his fourth work since he came back. Got a freshening at Whisper Hill. He’s still eligible to an allowance race so we’ll keep the options open.”

She Be Smooth: Calumet Farm’s homebred 3-year-old daughter of Lexitonian won the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes in February at Gulfstream before a third in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks. She missed the Kentucky Oaks with a setback after the latter.

“She got some time off and should be getting ready to go back into training at Calumet. I don’t know if we’ll see her this fall.”

Grittiness: Repole’s 0-for-6 maiden 3-year-old son of Curlin sports two stakes placings – in the Withers at Aqueduct and the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.

“Same thing, got some time off, too. Actually, the way the Derby ended up unfolding with his come-from-behind style, he probably would have picked up some pieces but we never could get him right after the Virginia race.”

Classicist: St Elias Stable homebred 4-year-old son of Curlin finished third in the Excelsior Stakes in April at Aqueduct before a win there in late May. He finished last of 11 in the Grade 2 Suburban July 4.

“That was a disappointing effort. He’s become a bit of an underachiever, always promised a bit more. I don’t know what we’ll do with him next. I’ve been lobbying to get him castrated. So far Classicist is coming out on the better end of that debate.”

Presidential Power: St Elias’ and Whisper Hill’s 3-year-old Constitution colt improved off a sixth in his debut June 5 at Saratoga with a second in a 9-furlong maiden race here last Friday. A $675,000 yearling purchase, he’s out of the $1.45 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Medaglia d’Oro yearling Whisper To Mama.

“He’s a bit of a work in progress, kind of green down the lane, wandering around a bit, but could be one we see move forward here with a little bit of experience.”

Time to Dream: Repole’s 3-year-old daughter of Not This Time cost $750,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. She won her debut and the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga last summer before a third in the Grade 2 Jessamine at Keeneland and a 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar. Third in the Grade 2 Wonder Again during Belmont Week, she finished fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks July 4.

“She’s been a little frustrating. She looked so good here last year then we took her to the Breeders’ Cup, she didn’t fire at all. She’s come back and just hasn’t quite got back to that same level. We might try to give her a little class relief, find an allowance race and see if we can get back on with her.”

Roadie: Whisper Hill’s 4-year-old gelding by Maclean’s Music makes third start in today’s second, a 1-mile state-bred maiden on the main track. A $230,000 purchase out of the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, he’s a half-brother to Grade 3 winner and recent Grade 1 Belmont Derby runner-up West End Kid.

“Should like a little more distance going to a mile. Closed with a little bit of interest going seven-eighths. Useful New York-bred type that could improve with some distance.”

Beach Life: Repole’s 2-year-old daughter of the Pletcher trained freshman sire and multiple Grade 1 winner Life Is Good disappointed at odds-on in her debut and makes second start in today’s fifth, a 5 1/2-furlong New York-bred maiden  on the turf.

“We’re getting her on the turf, which hopefully makes a difference. The bottom side of her family is a bit turfy. She’s probably a useful type filly.”

American History: An $825,000 yearling purchase last September by CHC, Maverick Racing and First Go Racing, son of Constitution is the fourth foal out of the winning War Front mare Bloody Point, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner and successful sire Vekoma.

“Another one for WinStar, he’s been training pretty well.”

Pippa Adds and Raghba: Uncoupled entry in today’s sixth, a 9-furlong maiden for fillies and mares on the main track. Spendthrift’s 3-year-old Yaupon filly Pippa Adds finished second and third in her last two starts. Shadwell Stable’s homebred 4-year-old Curlin filly Raghba makes her 11th start and first since mid-April at Keeneland.

“Raghba is up to six seconds now, including four in a row. Hopefully they break through here at some point.”

Noble Confessor: St Elias’ homebred 4-year-old Quality Road colt sports two Grade 2 placings and finished sixth in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar. He comes into Friday’s sixth, an 11-furlong optional claimer on the turf, with a win two back going 1 mile at Keeneland and a second going the 11 furlongs at Churchill.

“He’s been a solid horse. He’s been on the board in some stakes, won a couple races and seems to be versatile with distance. This is a mile and three-eighths, which we’re trying to figure out if that’s his specialty or if a mile and an eighth is a little better. This should provide us some clarity on that.”

Scalable: Repole’s Grade 3-winning daughter of Speightstown is entered main track only in Friday’s $150,000 De La Rose Stakes. She’s won six of 19, including the Top Flight and Ladies this year at Aqueduct, with $757,778 in earnings.

“Probably going to enter her back in the Molly Pitcher (July 18 at Monmouth). She won the Monmouth Oaks there as a 3-year-old so it makes sense. The forecast looks hot and dry for Friday so I don’t think it’ll be coming off the turf.”

Tumoohaat: Shadwell Farm’s homebred 2-year-old filly by Into Mischief is the first foal out of the Pletcher-trained two-time champion Malathaat. The winner of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Malathaat won 10 of 14 starts with three seconds and $3,790,825 over three seasons.

“She’s coming along, acts like a nice filly, great temperament, needs to work a time or two from the gate but she’s getting close. Beautiful filly, great first foal. Malathaat was pretty special.”

Gun Runner-Cavorting colt: A half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner and $3,266,392-earner Clairiere, he cost Repole $1.5 million last September.

“Purchased off Stonestreet, he’s been training well and we’re excited about him.”

Foolin: A $775,000 purchase by Spendthrift Farm and Lee Ackerley Racing in March, 2-year-old son of Practical Joke is out of the winning Unbridled’s Song mare Song Sung True. He’s breezed six times at Saratoga, including a half from the gate on the Oklahoma in :49.70 June 27 and another half on the main track Monday in :51.27.

“We like him, done everything right so far.”

Victory Grant: Tied for the fifth most-expensive yearling at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale on a bid of $2.6 million from Spendthrift Farm, son of Into Mischief is the fourth foal out of multiple Grade 1 winner I’m A Chatterbox. He’s worked six times at Saratoga, including a half in :48.77 Monday on the main track.

“He’s getting fairly close. He got a little temperature on us a couple weeks ago but he’s getting pretty close to being ready.”

“Another pretty nice colt out of Tara’s Tango, who was a pretty accomplished mare. He’s probably a week or so behind a couple of those other ones but he’s been training well.”

Munnings-Streak Of Luck filly: Repole spent $425,000 to purchase the half-sister to Ted Noffey last September.

“She’s doing good. A couple half-mile breezes so far. Repole made a nice buy, I think got her for $450,000 as a yearling after Ted Noffey won the Hopeful. Of course, $450,000 is still a lot of money but there’s probably some value there.”

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