Pletcher Colts Earn Way onto Road to Florida Derby; Scores Rare Grand Slam

By David Joseph —-

Todd Pletcher; Gulfstream File Photo

Tapwrit, Master Plan Finish 1-2 in Pulpit Stakes
Fact Finding Draws off to Score in Smooth Air

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Tapwrit stamped himself as a horse to watch in upcoming stakes on the Road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) Saturday, notching his first stakes victory in the $75,000 Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

“I think everything is in play now,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled four stakes winners on Saturday’s Juvenile Showcase card of six $75,000 stakes. “We’ll see how he comes out of it. He’s seems to be going the right way. We’ll target one of these stakes. I’m not sure which one yet.”

Tapwrit was a main-track-only entrant in the Pulpit but drew into the field when the race originally scheduled for a mile on turf was moved to a sloppy main track for a one-turn mile renewal.

A $1.2 million yearling purchase, the son of Tapit stalked a contested pace involving Hey Mike and Salute With Honor along the backstretch before sweeping three-wide on the far turn to easily take the lead under jockey Eddie Castro. The 3-2 favorite opened up a five-length lead in mid-stretch and held on to win by a length over Pletcher-trained stablemate Master Plan, who put in a strong late run under John Velazquez.

“He’s suited to two-turns but we didn’t have too many options. So we took a shot in a main-track-only and it worked out well for him,” said Pletcher of Tapwrit. “I thought Master Plan ran really well. It seemed like he closed well the last 100 yards or so.”

Master Plan finished 12 ¼ lengths clear of Hey Mike.

Tapwrit, who is owned by Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta, ran a mile in 1:37.65. He debuted with a 10th-place finish at Saratoga Sept. 3 and returned to break his maiden at Gulfstream Park West while equipped with blinkers for the first time Nov. 6.

“He’s certainly improved off his first start. He didn’t behave well in his first start. He kind of missed the break and didn’t know what to do after that,” Pletcher said. “Subsequently, he’s trained well and has become much more professional. I think the blinkers have helped. We’re very pleased with his last two runs.”

Master Plan had run two previous races, both on turf, breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park Oct. 22. The son of Twirling Candy is likely to run on the main track in his next start with an eye toward the upcoming stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.

“I think we probably have to give it a try this time of year,” Pletcher said.

Fact Finding Draws off to Score in Smooth Air

Fact Finding set a contested pace before drawing off to a seven-length victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Smooth Air, giving trainer Todd Pletcher yet another promising candidate for Gulfstream’s 3-year-old stakes next year.

The son of The Factor remained undefeated in three starts while successfully stretching out for Saturday’s one-turn mile stakes after capturing sprint races at Saratoga and Keeneland to launch his career.

“He showed us today that he should be able to handle the stretch-out from a mile,” Pletcher said. “The time stacked up favorable for the day. It was a quality effort from him.”

Fact Finding broke alertly to set the pace while pressed by Basha along the backstretch and around the far turn. Under strong urging by John Velazquez, the son of The Factor kicked in through the stretch to win going away.

Basha finished second, 2 ¾ lengths of third-place finisher Skinflint.

Fact Finding, who has won his three starts by a combined 15 ½ lengths, ran a mile over a sloppy track in 1:36.98.

“He’s kind of handled everything we’ve asked him to do so far. The owners have been very patient letting him find his way along,” Pletcher said. “He’s very laidback in the morning. We really weren’t sure what we had until we ran him. He’s one of those horses that kind of saves himself in the morning. We really didn’t know what we had until we ran him.”

Pletcher Scores Rare Grand Slam at Gulfstream

Wins Four Juvenile Stakes Saturday, Three in a Row
Saddles Bode’s Dream, Tapwrit, Sonic Mule & Fact Finding for Victories

Todd Pletcher. who has earned an unprecedented 13 consecutive training titles at Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet, saddled four juvenile stakes winners Saturday.

Pletcher, a seven-time Eclipse Award champion, has won four races in a day several times. He won four races earlier this year on New York Showcase Day, including three stakes, but couldn’t recall winning four stakes at one track on one day.

The four stakes wins came with three colts and filly. Jockey John Velazquez, riding for the first time this year at the Championship Meet, rode three of the winners.

Pletcher started the day with a victory in the $75,000 House Party at six furlongs with St. Elias Stable’s undefeated filly Bode’s Dream, who won by 2 3/4-lengths while making her first start since winning the Astoria in June at Belmont Park.

Then came Tapwrit, a 2-year-old son of Tapit who was purchased for $1.2 million at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga 2015 Select Yearling Sale by Robert LaPenta, Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. The colt opened up a five-length lead down the stretch before winning the mile Pulpit Stakes by a length under jockey Eddie Castro.

Less than 30 minutes after saddling Tapwrit to victory, Pletcher scored with Calumet Farm’s Sonic Mule in the $75,000 Buffalo Man. A son of Distorted Humor bred by WinStar Farm LLC, Sonic Mule won the six-furlong event by 1 3/4 lengths.

Pletcher’s fourth stakes winner and third in three races came in the $75,000 Smooth Air at a mile with Fact Finding, owned by Tabor, Magnier, Smith and Stonestreet Stables LLC. The son of The Factor won by seven.

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets.