Pletcher Five are Half of Top Ten

While a Kentucky Derby win has eluded top trainer Todd Pletcher in the past, in 2007 his luck may change. He is gearing five top prospects toward the Run for the Roses.

Thunder Gulch and Timber Country, both trained by most prolific Triple Crown race winner D.Wayne Lukas, won all three of the classics in 1995.

Trainer Todd Pletcher benefited from that trifecta. Pletcher in '95 was a Lukas assistant. He helped school Thunder Gulch for the classics. Thunder Gulch won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. Timber Country took the middle event, the Preakness Stakes.

Hall of Famer Lukas, therefore, won the triple with two horses, a singular achievement.

Pletcher left his Lukas apprenticeship to open his own stable later in '95.

Thoroughbred owner Michael Tabor had many conversations with Pletcher, along with Demi O'Byrne, in 1995. Tabor, impressed with Pletcher, sent the newly established trainer Oh Nellie in 1997. The female runner placed in the 1997 One Thousand Guineas (Eng., gr. l), and won two stakes in 1998.

Tabor began feeding Pletcher trainees after the 1999 Fasig-Tipton Calder two-year-olds in training sale. Pletcher says he was waiting at Calder that sale day, talking over prospects with O'Byrne, wondering if Tabor would assign to him the new Tabor acquisitions. Tabor, sure enough, spoke to Pletcher about the purchases. He passed Pletcher the bills of sale and said he would expect a pair of grade one winners.

No pressure there!

Pletcher did all right. The two purchases were Left Bank and Circle of Life. Circle of Life captured the 1999 Spinaway Stakes (gr. l). Left Bank pinned down three grade ones and was named champion older male of 2002.

Lots of winners came out of the business arrangements between Tabor and Pletcher from then on. Marylebone, Bandini, Lion Tamer and Adieu were grade one winners. This season, Circular Quay, Louisiana Derby (gr. ll) winner; Scat Daddy, Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. ll) victor; and filly Rags to Riches, who triumphed in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. l), have all boosted the Tabor and Pletcher success rate.

Thunder Gulch and Circle of Life produced Circular Quay, considered a top 2007 Derby contender.

O'Byrne waxes philosophical about Pletcher's sterling record of graded stakes wins. It's not surprising, he says, rather it was the expectation.

Pletcher has half the top ten horses headed for the Run for the Roses this season. Maybe the best bet on Derby day is to not under bet a Pletcher colt.