If there were a Leading Groom award at Saratoga, Martin Estrada would have to be a strong contender this year. The horses he rubbed won the Whitney (I), Alabama (I), Hopeful (I) and Saranac (III). Heartfelt congrats to this dedicated horseman.
Lovely photos:
@DRFLivingston
.
He was lean and little and ornery. But he was as tough as they come and extremely talented. Qualities that made him a champion sire. You will be missed, English Channel.
For those who don’t always get their due: DREAMING OF JULIA & CO COLA, dams of the KY Oaks 1-2 finishers, were both
#pletcherrunners
. Lillies all around!
#pletchermamas
MORE THAN READY: the little black colt who exceeded all expectations to become an international sire sensation. This first
#pletcherstallion
will always hold a special place in our hearts. Rest in peace.
Shout out to long-time employee, Juan Aguayo, and many thanks to
@DRFLivingston
for the photos. Juan groomed Cat Thief to win the '99 Breeders' Cup Classic for Wayne Lukas and repeated twenty years later as foreman for Pletcher Racing and Vino Rosso.
#allstar
If you are a horse racing person please join the challenge of posting a racing photo. Just one picture, no description. Please copy the text in your status, post a picture and look at some great memories/pictures.
We can't thank Wayne Lukas enough for overseeing the final Derby preparations of MONEY MOVES. There are no better hands when it comes to the roses.
📸
@drflivingston
Lute Olson was my role model in college: successful, professional, calm & cool. I later learned how kind & thoughtful he was when I received this note after finally winning the Kentucky Derby. A legendary coach & human being.
#beardown
The ever popular Angel Cordero, Jr. giving the people what they want: the name of his second choice in the fictional championship race...AND...one of the best smiles and laughs on track.
Angel is the benchmark, the legend, the KING of Saratoga. Incredibly meaningful to be leading trainer for the 14th time and match his title haul. A huge shout out to the ones behind the scenes who helped make this happen.
(put your mask on, TAP)
King for a Day, the only horse to cross the finish line in front of Maximum Security, preparing for the Challenger S. at Tampa Bay Downs on 3/7.
@TampaBayDownsFL
@richardwsacco
Huge congratulations to Johnny V for becoming the all-time leader of Graded Stakes wins with Bast's victory in the GI Chandelier S. How appropriate to do it on a daughter of Uncle Mo, whom Johnny rode to victory in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
#classact
Can we talk about UNCLE MO? Golden Pal blitzes the field going 5.5 furlongs on the turf in the Shakertown S. (II) and 15 minutes later Mo Donegal gets up going 9 furlongs on the dirt in the Wood Memorial S. (II). Mo knows no limits!
#pletcherstallions
These horsewomen and horsemen are MVPs. Their skill, dedication and passion are world-class. Very proud to say they have worked a combined 75 years for Pletcher Racing. And none of us could be prouder of VINO ROSSO for delivering on the biggest stage.
#champions
@BreedersCup
Wishing G1 Man o' War S. winner Hi Happy (Arg) a safe trip back to Argentina to take up stud duty. Buena suerte, viejito.
#TAP
@TheNYRA
@PabloCCarrizoC
Feels so good to be racing at Belmont again. Even better to win on opening day with PRISONER, owned by die hard New Yorker Mike Repole. This son of VIOLENCE showed them his heels and scampered away in the stretch.
#pletcherstallions
&
#pletcherrunners
First two-year-olds of the season arrived at Palm Beach Downs today, including this filly by Malibu Moon named Vocal. She is owned by
@EclipseTBP
and Repole Stable.
#TAP
@spendthriftfarm
Dom-i-NICK!
Congratulations to Pletcher Racing employee Nick Merritt on his
#TIEA
Newcomer Award! A well deserved honor for this breath of fresh air from Baltimore.
📸Barbara Livingston
Now that's a fulfilling victory! MALATHAAT, daughter of Pletcher-trained Dreaming of Julia, breaks her maiden impressively for
@ShadwellFarm
and becomes winner
#2
,000 (!) for
@ljlmvel
at Belmont. Johnny V is a legend.
📸Chelsea Durand
VINO ROSSO, winner of the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita (formerly the Hollywood Gold Cup), strikes a pose with a hotwalker who bears a resemblance to...this hotwalker in the winner's circle at the old Hollywood Park...cameos by Whittingham & Shoe.
Honored to have trained 8 of the legend A.P. INDY's leading earners. And a very soft spot will always be had for his daughter RAGS TO RICHES, who emulated her sire in winning the GI Belmont S.
(chart courtesy of
@GaryDougherty
)
What do all FOURTEEN
@BreedersCup
races have in common? A
#pletcherstallion
representative. Best of luck to the connections from the the one who started it all, MORE THAN READY.
Multiple graded stakes-placed GIDU (Frankel) is one of the coolest-looking horses in training, year after year, IMO. Photo this morning at Saratoga.
Now 5, the
@PletcherRacing
trainee, who most recently ran in the G3 Canadian Turf at Gulfstream 2/29 (5th), is working regularly.
Because every Thoroughbred should have a little girl 😍 THEBIGFUNDAMENTAL will be available for adoption soon from our New York facility ... stay tuned!
@PletcherRacing
#rehabretrainrehome
#ottb
Four questions for...the original Scat Daddy...the "sire" of sires More Than Ready, Scat Daddy, English Channel and Verrazano...and all around good guy...Jim Scatuorchio
#TAP
#fourquestionsfor
@LGSRacing
Best of luck to the connections of all 2022
@KentuckyDerby
runners from the 2017 winner and
#pletcherstallion
ALWAYS DREAMING.
#pletcherstallions
MUNNINGS, QUALITY ROAD, RACE DAY & UNCLE MO have sired 25% of this year's Derby runners.
Breeders' Cup pre-entries are out and
#pletcherstallions
have sired 31 individual horses, led by the grand old man SPEIGHTSTOWN with four! Not to be outdone,
#pletchermamas
are responsible for five babies who have made it to the big time.
House horse, Thebigfundamental, runs in the 6th at Saratoga today. Coming off a nearly 18-month layoff, you can’t help but root for this 7 year-old gelding.
@spurs
A meaningful win at the Spa yesterday. BESIDE HERSELF, whose first two dams were also trained by Pletcher Racing, leads from gate to wire for longtime owner Michael Tabor. Oh...and she's by
#pletcherstallion
UNCLE MO.
QUALITY ROAD certainly stamped these two sons! PRIME FACTOR (1st) preps for the Fountain of Youth S. (II) and Belmont S. (I) runner-up DR POST gears up for a 2021 campaign.
@LanesEndFarms
@WinStarFarm
@Chinahorseclub
#pletcherstallions
CONSTITUTION (pictured), PALACE MALICE, MSHAWISH, PROTONICO, LIAM'S MAP, COMMISSIONER & COMPETITIVE EDGE all have runners in this year's
@KentuckyDerby
or KY Oaks. Best of luck to all connections.
Former Pletcher trainee PRESTO is thriving in retirement. From his adopter: He got reserve grand champion for the summer series! He has stolen my heart and I love him so very much."
Another huge thanks to
@NewVocations
for making stories like this happen.
A tale of two Mos...Mo Donegal, son of
#pletcherstallion
UNCLE MO, takes the GI Belmont S. in classic style! Another son (and former house horse), Thebigfundamental, is flourishing in his off track career. And we are so happy to be along for the ride.
Bad Beat Brian may have been nipped on the wire, but his owner, Dom Fuda, makes a pizza that never loses! Thanks
@iradortiz
for feeding all of our hungry help this morning; much appreciated!
@salfuda
DREAMING OF JULIA ran 4th in the 2013 Kentucky Oaks, after a rough start and trip. The
@StonestreetFarm
bred/owned
@PletcherRacing
trainee was favored at 1.50-1.
The 2021 Oaks belonged to Dreaming of Julia's daughter MALATHAAT, bred by
@StonestreetFarm
, trainer
@PletcherRacing
.
Introducing GI winner AMERICANREVOLUTION as the newest
#pletcherstallion
. Standing the 2024 breeding season at Rockridge Stud. And looking handsome as ever!
📸Barbara Livingston
MALATHAAT'S Breeders' Cup Distaff takes top honors in the '22 Pletcher Grade One Showdown.
One more time, for your absolute viewing pleasure, is The Queen doing what The Queen does best.
One of Legend Tom Durkin’s Best Race 🎤 Calls! “Battle of the Sex’s”! Rags to Riches and Curlin, so much Class! Her 2007 Blitz, when she Won 5 straight from California (Santa Anita Oaks),to Louisville (KY Oaks), to NY (Belmont Stakes),as good as it gets!
@PletcherRacing
@ljlmvel
It can safely be said that Pletcher Racing Stable wouldn't be where it is now without Cindy's hard work and dedication. She would be a very deserving winner, and we wish her the best of luck!
🙌Congratulations to Cindy Hutter, Assistant Trainer at George Weaver Racing, on being named a finalist for the 2020
#TIEA
Leadership in Racing Award! 🇺🇸
Best of luck to the connections of the 28 horses in the Breeders' Cup sired by
#pletcherstallions
. Love to see the old guard MORE THAN READY (left) and SPEIGHTSTOWN (right) still holding their own with young guns CONSTITUTION and LIAM'S MAP.