When I’m following a thoroughbred on the Kentucky Derby Trail, one of the things that I do not like to see is a trainer cut their horse back in distance. But that is exactly what Todd Pletcher who has taken over as the new trainer of Discreetly Mine plans to do when he sends him as the 5-2 morning line favorite to the starting gate of the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes today at Gulfstream.
"He was in very good condition when we got him," said Pletcher in a Mike Welsch Daily Racing Form news story. "He's trained forwardly since coming to our barn and we're just looking to get the season started on Saturday. I'm not sure what his best distance is so we'll just get started at six furlongs and see from there."
Since Pletcher does not know what is the best distance for Discreetly Mine, neither do I and the Spectacular Bid Stakes has shaped up to be a race that I most likely would pass.
I like Discreetly Mine and believe that he has a lot of potential. But, so far, Discreetly Mine has not done as well as I thought he would and I hope that Pletcher can improve on that.
Trainer Tony Dutrow has entered a pair of nice horses in Westover Wildcat and A Little Warm and they could be a factor in the Spectacular Bid. Westover Wildcat (6-1) appears to be the fastest of nine thoroughbreds entered in the race. In his last race, Westover Wildcat recorded a 101 Brisnet Speed Figure in winning the Bold Lad Stakes by 2 ¾ - lengths last October at Belmont. Since then, Westover Wildcat has been working out well posting two bullet works and he should be tough in this race.
At 8-1 morning line odds, Dutrow’s other entry, A Little Warm, looks interesting. In his last race, A Little Warm broke his maiden by 10 ¾ - lengths in a 6-furlong sprint at Philadelphia Park. He won that race in a keen 1:09 4/5 and he recorded a bullet work on December 17. A Little Warm looks like he could be ready to step up into stakes competition.
Wildcat Frankie (7-2) comes into the race with a debut win in 15 ½ - length romp December 12 at Calder. Wildcat Frankie recorded a 104 Brisnet Speed Figure for that effort and he posted a bullet work on January 3.
Once again, nothing was in there heading to 136 Kentucky Derby. The nomination list is schedule for final nomination January 16th.
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I also, need to look at the 50,000 maidens distance races. Something could be late to the 136 party.
Barry,
ReplyDeleteI agree with that assesment. It looks like Todd Pletcher has a lot of work to do with Discreetly Mine and he may be best suited to middle-distance races. The others in the race do not excite me.
I always look forward to when The Courier-Journal posts on their website the Brisnet past performances of thoroughbreds on the Triple Crown Trail.