Times wires
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Todd Pletcher arrived in Louisville this spring assured of avoiding the thorny question of when he would finally win the Kentucky Derby.
Super Saver's win a year ago provided an answer, Pletcher's first win in 25 tries. Now, though, the trainer faces questions regarding Uncle Mo.
The colt, who was last year's 2-year-old champion, won the first four starts of his career by a combined 27¼ lengths. But a third-place finish at the Wood Memorial on April 9 squelched the buzz.
In addition, it left Saturday's Derby without a clear favorite.
"Winning the Derby is awesome," Pletcher said. "It doesn't change your life in a lot of ways. The feed man still wants to get paid. Your wife still thinks you work too much. And if you get beat in the Wood Memorial, everybody wants to know why."
Perhaps it was the gastrointestinal infection that was diagnosed after the race. Pletcher said Uncle Mo is responding well to treatment, but owner Mike Repole lists him as "50-50" for the Derby.
"Until May 7 comes around and he's at that gate, there's no guarantees in this game," Repole said. "And that doesn't just include Uncle Mo, but … the other 19 starters."
Pletcher knows that well. Last year, he arrived with favorite Eskendereya but lost him six days before the race with a leg injury. In 2009, Derby favorite I Want Revenge was scratched on the morning of the race with an ankle injury.
Rumors have circulated about Uncle Mo's health.
"People are coming down on him. I think we've set him off on a pedestal maybe too quickly," said Graham Motion, who trains Wood Memorial winner Toby's Corner. "I see no reason why the horse couldn't come back and run a big race next time."
Indeed, Secretariat lost the 1973 Wood Memorial but went on to win the Triple Crown.
Dialed In, trained by Nick Zito, has moved into the role of favorite almost by default. He won the Florida Derby, albeit in a slow time.
"I'd almost prefer him to be the second, third or fourth choice because I, like everybody else, worry about favorites," owner Robert LaPenta said. "It's going to come down to, like it always does, who's the best horse that day and who has the most luck that day."
Watch me go: Trainer Kathleen O'Connell said she will select a rider Monday for the Tampa Bay Derby winner who is set to run in the Derby. The colt is scheduled to work out today under Fred Lenclud.
Derby Trial: Machen chased down Dominus in the final strides at Churchill Downs to win the last prep race of the spring. Machen, unlikely to compete in the Derby, ran 1 mile in 1 minute, 35.47 seconds. Travelin Man, which won the Swale on April 3, was the 8-5 favorite and led early before fading to sixth.
Times correspondent Don Jensen contributed to this report.