As Todd Pletcher sees it with Wit, the turf pedigree is there. As he sees it through recency bias, moving him to grass has a good precedent. And as Pletcher sees it through recent history, why not?<\/p>\n
The Hall of Fame trainer moves his 3-year-old multiple graded stakes winner to the grass for Fridays Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame at Saratoga. That one-mile race for sophomores on Saratogas inner turf course also features Wow Whata Summer.<\/p>\n
You remember Wow Whata Summer from his 83\/1 upset of Pletchers previously unbeaten Annapolis two starts ago in the Grade 2 Penn Mile at Penn National. You probably missed his next start, an uninspiring fifth in the Grade 3 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park July 2.<\/p>\n
As for Wit, Pletcher moves him to turf despite a 3-1-1 record in six career starts. Hes hit the board in four of his five graded stakes races (2-1-1), including victories in the Grade 3 Sanford at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Bay Shore earlier this year at Aqueduct. One of the earliest 2022 Kentucky Derby prospects off two career-opening wins, Wit finished second to Gunite in the Grade 1 Hopeful. He later finished a non-threatening third to Jack Christopher by nearly 10 lengths in the Grade 1 Champagne last year.<\/p>\n
This year, Wit has that Bay Shore score, coming when he went three-wide and nosed out Highly Respected. He also has his lone out-of-the-money finish: a last-out fourth in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Not that anyone was beating Jack Christopher that day; he won by 10 lengths. But Wit finished closer to last-place Morello (one length) than second-place Pappacap (four lengths).<\/p>\n
That got Pletchers wheels turning. He enjoyed watching Emmanuel make a successful switch from dirt to grass. That 3-year-old finished third in the Grade 1 Blue Grass, which didnt stop Pletcher from putting him on turf. In turn, Emmanuel rewarded his connections by winning the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge June 4.<\/p>\n
So Pletcher sent Wit off and running on the Oklahoma training turf at Saratoga. His first workout on July 22 produced a bullet 47.95-second half mile breeze that was best of 63 at that distance. Wit worked alongside graded stakes-placed Scottish Star. A subsequent four-furlong breeze eight days later came in at 50.29.<\/p>\n
He seemed to really take to the turf. It seemed pretty clear that he took to it, Pletcher told the New York Racing Association. It was a good, strong work and an energetic gallop out. It just seemed that he enjoyed himself out there.<\/p>\n
Finally, Pletcher went to the bloodlines. He pointed out Wit, a Practical Joke colt who went for $575,000 in the 2020 Keenland September Yearling Sale, came out of Numero dOro. The daughter of Medaglia dOro carries plenty of green grass in her red bloodlines. Wits great-grandsire on his dams side, El Prado, won two Group 1 races in Ireland.<\/p>\n
The Medaglia dOro bottom side kind of made you think about (turf), Pletcher said. It was mainly just about giving him a try on it. There was enough pedigree that suggested it could work.<\/p>\n
If it does, horseplayers have another intriguing turf contender to consider on the deepening New York grass circuit. One who could challenge Chad Browns endless barn of grass standouts.<\/p>\n
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With Precedent and Pedigree, Wit Brings His Next Act to the... - Online Gambling<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As Todd Pletcher sees it with Wit, the turf pedigree is there. As he sees it through recency bias, moving him to grass has a good precedent Continue reading