Pletcher contemplates plans for sophomore army

Trainer Todd Pletcher said that he is not certain where many of his

three-year-olds will make their next starts prior to the May 5 Kentucky Derby

(G1) at Churchill Downs. The three-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner has many

options and will begin finalizing some plans this week.

"Right now, everything is a possibility for everyone," Pletcher said from

Florida on Sunday morning. "We're probably going to nominate to everything that

is available and make our decisions. I want to see how some of these other

horses run and see how our horses train this week before getting down to

finalizing their schedules."

DEADLY DEALER (Concerto), who rolled to a seven-length allowance victory on

March 3 at Gulfstream Park, is under consideration for the $750,000 Wood

Memorial S. (G1) on April 7 at Aqueduct or the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G2) on

April 14 at Oaklawn Park.

"Deadly Dealer does not have as much experience as some of the other horses

we have, but he is obviously a very talented horse," Pletcher said. "We'll see how he is

training and see if he is a horse that wants to stretch out, in which case we

would consider a race like the Wood Memorial or the Arkansas Derby. Or, we might

play it conservative and run in a race like the Bay Shore (S. [G3] on Wood

Memorial Day)."

On Saturday, the Pletcher-trained ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Distorted Humor) was

beaten a nostril by juvenile champion Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]) in the

Tampa Bay Derby (G3).

"It was a very good race, but unfortunately, we got caught on the wrong end

of a head bob," Pletcher said. "I want to see how Any Given Saturday comes back

out of that race. There are so many factors; he would certainly be considered

for a race like the Wood Memorial or the Blue Grass (S. [G1] on April 14 at

Keeneland), and the fact that he has won twice on Polytrack would be a

consideration.

"Same with CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch); we weren't looking for a

speed-favoring track when we sent him to Louisiana. We want to see how he trains

before we finalize a decision."

Circular Quay, winner of the Hopeful S. (G1) at Saratoga and runner-up to

Street Sense in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), won the Louisiana Derby (G2) by

2 1/4 lengths on March 10 at Fair Grounds.

The Pletcher-trained COWTOWN CAT (Distorted Humor) split horses in the

stretch before winning the Gotham S. (G3) by 2 1/2 lengths on March 10 at

Aqueduct.

"We weren't surprised at all by his race in the Gotham; he worked head and

head with Any Given Saturday before we sent him up there," Pletcher said. "The

only question we had about him was how he would handle two turns. That was a

very good race for him."

Champagne S. (G1) winner SCAT DADDY (Johannesburg), who got up in the final

stride to defeat Stormello (Stormy Atlantic) in the March 3 Fountain of Youth S.

(G2), is expected to run back in the Florida Derby (G1) on March 31 at

Gulfstream Park.

RAVEL (Fusaichi Pegasus), who has not started since winning the Sham S. (G3)

by one length on February 3, is expected to make his next start in the $750,000 Santa

Anita Derby (G1) on April 7. Hutcheson S. (G2) winner KING OF THE ROXY (Littleexpectations)

could also run in the Santa Anita Derby.

Other Pletcher-trained sophomores include Hallandale Beach S. winner TWILIGHT

METEOR (Smart Strike), who could make his next start in Saturday's $500,000

Lane's End S. (G2) at Turfway Park;

Tremont S. winner OUT OF GWEDDA (Out of Place), third most recently in the

Hutcheson; and Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) runner-up SAM P. (Cat Thief).