** For video of Woodward winner
Sunday, September 5, 2010
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- Quality Road exits Woodward win wonderfully, will train up to Breeders' Cup Classic; Bribon shed frog, Checklist OK after Forego
- Plans on hold for Forego winner Here Comes Ben
- Mettee reflects on Vineyard Haven's and Girolamo's efforts in Forego
- Lukas sees signs of encouragement in Mine That Bird's Woodward
"I think there was a lot more in the tank based on the way he came back; he was hardly even blowing," said Pletcher. "He made the lead kind of easily, and coasted home from the eighth pole – he was prepared to run a lot faster had it been necessary, but when you're 4 ¾ lengths clear, it's hard to ask for a whole lot more."
The win was
"I think winning the Woodward was an important race for championship honors," said Pletcher. "Usually, the last race they run is the most important, and with the last one being the Breeders' Cup that one is going to carry the most weight of all. But his body of work this year has been impressive, and that will carry a lot of weight at the end, too."
In the Classic,
"I think if he gets the 1 ¼ miles he can do it with the time in between," said Pletcher. "For me statistically, we've always done well with that kind of time frame, so we'd like to come into the biggest and most important race with what we do best. Our horses tend to run their best races with that kind of spacing between them."
As for the distance, Pletcher pointed out that both defeats came over sloppy racetracks.
"The Jockey Club Gold Cup was not a bad race," he said. "I think he gets the 1 ¼ miles, obviously, we'd just like to do it on a fast surface."
The trainer also reported that Bribon, who finished sixth in the Grade 1 Forego, shed his left front frog and would miss about 10 days of training. Should he not go in the Breeders' Cup, the Grade 2 Kelso on October 3 at
Pletcher added that Checklist, who finished last in the Forego, appears to have come back all right.
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Trainer Charles Lopresti, who yesterday picked up his first Grade 1 victory when Here Comes Ben won the Forego, reported that his colt was doing well Sunday morning.
"He was a little tired, but his legs and everything look good," said Lopresti.
Currently stabled in Eoin Harty's barn at
"We'll bring him to Keeneland and evaluate," said Lopresti. "The Breeders' Cup [November 6] is our goal."
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Godolphin Racing's Vineyard Haven and Girolamo, who comprised an even-money coupled entry in Saturday's Grade 1 Forego, exited the race in good shape, according to Rick Mettee, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
Entering the Forego off a victory in the James Marvin on July 23, Vineyard Haven stalked the pace from post position 2 and raced evenly in the stretch to finish third.
"With Vineyard Haven, we're a little disappointed in him," said Mettee. "He didn't exactly pull the trip we expected, being down along the inside. In the end, being third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths, is not a bad race, given the competition"
Winner of the 2009 Grade 2 Jerome Handicap, Girolamo was fifth in the Forego, his first start following a last-of-12 performance in the Breeders' Cup Classic in November.
"Girolamo got a little tired," said Mettee. "Cornelio [Velasquez] said he gave a good six furlongs and got tired in the last part, which wasn't surprising. He should improve off this race. He was beaten about four or five lengths, which is about right against these horses."
Plans for both horses will be determined at a later date.
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Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who outfitted 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird with blinkers and changed jockeys for the Woodward, said he was encouraged by the way the gelding stayed closer to the pace in Saturday's race.
"I was really pleased with the way he laid up there so easy at the first part of the race, but he didn't kick it in at the end, he just ran evenly," said Lukas. "I might try him shorter, too. Everyone keeps thinking he's a 1 ¼-mile horse, but I might try him at a mile if I could find a decent race. At a mile he might show more finish. He's a work in progress, let me tell you. He's perfectly sound, he's physically better than he's ever been, but we're not getting the job done."
Although winless since taking the Run for the Roses at 50-1 last May, Mine That Bird is far from retirement, said Lukas.
"He's a gelding, we're not going to give him to the orphanage," he said. "He might end up retiring to
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