Todd Pletcher

After a team effort, Old Friends in Georgetown, Kentucky, welcomed GSW Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy) on Thursday, Dec. 7, the retirement farm said in a release Friday. The 8-year old bay gelding, who ran in the 2018 GI Kentucky Derby, was repatriated from Puerto Rico thanks to the efforts of Fred Hart, who became a big fan of the horse due to his ownership of his dam, Noble Maz; Kelley Stobie, owner of Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare, which has assisted many Thoroughbreds in Puerto Rico; and Mike Repole, Noble Indy's...

Dropping out of a pair of Grade I races, Repole Stables and Todd Pletcher's Life Talk (Gun Runner) earned 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with an impressive win in the GII Demoiselle S. Second by a head to future GISP Alys Beach (Omaha Beach) on debut, Life Talk came back with a 6 1/2-length win at second asking upstate in August. Unfortunately for daughter of Gun Runner, she then twice ran into likely 2-year-old filly champion Just F Y I (Justify) in both the GI Frizette...

Following Sea (Runhappy--Quick Flip, by Speightstown), the recently retired winner of the 2021 GII Vosburgh S., will begin his stud career next season at Rivard Stables in Eli, Manitoba. The 5-year-old was purchased from his breeder, Spendthrift Farm, by longtime Manitoba horseman Gary Naherniak to stand in Western Canada. Racing in the Spendthrift colors for trainer Todd Pletcher, Following Sea was second in the 2021 GI Haskell S. and GI Cigar Mile and was third in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and GI H. Allen Jerken Memorial S., in addition...

In the Aqueduct Sunday opener, Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) took to the track in what amounted to a professional debut as she won impressively against a field of five others. The sharp start to her career garnered her 'TDN Rising Star' honors for the effort. Overlooked a touch at the windows as the 9-2 third choice, the Keeneland September grad exited the gate swiftly to set the pace up the backstretch. Despite a brief challenge around the far turn by chasers Value Area (More Than Ready) and heavy favorite Shoplifting...

1st-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 12:20 p.m. ET. Whisper Hill Farm purchased LESLIE'S ROSE (Into Mischief) for $1.15 million at last year's Keeneland September Sale. Bred by John D. Gunther & Eurowest Bloodstock Services, the Todd Pletcher trainee's younger half-sister and stablemate Bo Derek (Speightstown) sadly passed away after making her second start back in January for Siena and WinStar Farms at Gulfstream Park. Second dam MGSP Wildwood Flower (Langfuhr) produced GI Florida Derby champ Materiality (Afleet Alex) and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song),...

Fred Hart didn't own, train or breed Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy), the winner of the 2018 GII Louisiana Derby and the seventh-place finisher in that year's GI Kentucky Derby. But he did have a connection. An owner and breeder of modest means, he owned Noble Indy's dam, Noble Maz (Storm Boot), buying her for $9,000 at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October Yearling Sale. He would later lose her in a $25,000 claimer, which turned out to be her last race. But even that minor role in the career of...

All five of the 'Future Stars Friday' winners at Santa Anita appeared to emerge from the efforts unscathed, with connections looking forward to their Classics campaigns in 2024. The very domination of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) will likely have put the colt at the head of the class for champion 2-year-old honors, and the Repole Stable homebred looked good Saturday morning. "We were extremely happy with the way Fierceness ran," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "The race kind of unfolded the...

ARCADIA, CA - The comparisons to the brilliant Uncle Mo began for 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) following a spectacular, double-digit debut win a day before the GI Travers S. at Saratoga-Uncle Mo's, of course, took place on the undercard--but came to an abrupt halt following a dismal seventh at .55 cents on the dollar in a sloppy renewal of the GI Champagne S. They can safely return now. Just like Uncle Mo did for Repole Stable and Todd Pletcher at third asking beneath John Velazquez at the...

Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager is set for its three-day run Tuesday-Thursday and features 40 betting interests, including recent Grade I winners Locked (Gun Runner) and Timberlake (Into Mischief). Wagering will begin Tuesday at noon and close Thursday at 6 p.m. ET in advance of the Breeders' Cup World Championships' Future Starts Friday. The 15-1 individual favorite is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Walmac Farm's GI Breeders' Futurity winner Locked. Trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, Locked is among the top interests in Friday's GI Breeders'...

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a total of 12 horses, all of whom are pre-entered in next weekend's Breeders' Cup races, for half-mile works at Keeneland Friday morning in advance of their Saturday departure to Santa Anita. GII Pilgrim S. winner Agate Road (Quality Road) (Juvenile Turf) worked in company with Haul (Army Mule) in :49 flat (32/63). GI Darley Alcibiades winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) (NetJets Juvenile Filles) went in company with GII Chandelier runner-up Scalable (Speightstown) (Juvenile Fillies) in :49.20 (37/63). About Candied, Pletcher said, "She worked very...

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners is proud to use the label #EclipseFillies to commemorate the long list of Grade I-winning fillies they have campaigned over the years, but one outstanding racehorse that will soon depart from their racing stable stands out above the rest. Campaigned in partnership with Repole Stable and Michael House, reigning champion sophomore filly and three time Grade I winner Nest (Curlin - Marion Ravenwood, by A. P. Indy) took Eclipse President and Founder Aron Wellman and the rest of her connections on a journey they will not soon...

2-year-old champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), whose retirement was announced earlier this week, has arrived at Spendthrift Farm where he will take up stud duty in 2024. His introductory fee will be $50,000 S&N and he is available for inspection by appointment. "The first thing I think about Forte is just how much of an honor it is for us to bring a horse like him to Spendthrift. He's the fifth champion we've been fortunate enough to add to our stallion ranks since 2020, and that's a testament...