Pletcher 3yos at TAM

[tenfurlongs]

Every year Todd Pletcher selects a couple of colts that he feels will do well on the Tampa dirt and sends them over to break their maiden or clear the a-other-than condition. If they run well (almost always) then he comes back for the Sam Davis (GIII) and Tampa Bay Derby (GII). Tapwrit, Vino Rosso, Destin and several other Triple Crown candidates did their early work at the Oldsmar oval.

Today's second race is a mile-and-seventy-yards MSW for 3yos featuring two Pletcher trainees: Noble Empire (by Empire Maker) and Farmington Road (by Quality Road). Tale of two cities, however; Farmington Road is a closer that wants all the ground he can get. He should win this by open lengths, and Pletcher wisely puts veteran Centeno aboard for feedback. Noble Empire needs class relief, he wasn't going to beat the 3yos at GP. He's strictly along to balance the load in the 2-horse trailer that's bringing them over from Palm Beach. Willie Martinez gets the call and should put him on the front end to give his stablemate something to run at. Watch the stretch run to see if Farmington Road punches his ticket to the Tampa Bay Derby.

TW

[1hooper]

Gouverneur Morris currently looking to the Sam Davis for Pletch.

www.xbtv.com/video/palm-beach-downs/halfy-outside-and-gouverneur-morris-worked-3-furlongs-in-36-32-at-palm-beach-downs-on-december-29th-2019/

[1hooper]

Guessing Noble Empire had some tie back surgery since his last start.
Wish we had access to vet records like Hong Kong.

[mysaladdays]

Good call on Farmington Road.

[tenfurlongs]

Thanks MSD, no rocket science there...lol. That was a much-above-par two-turn dirt pace for TBD, 3/4 in 1:11.00, and Noble Empire just kept going. Clearly Pletcher did some things with him after taking over from Lukas. You could see Willie Martinez just hand-riding and looking back at the 1/4-pole like "Hey Danny, you gonna go by or what?" Final time for 1mi.40yds. was 1:39.88 and track record is 1:38.86. Noble Empire was 17 lengths clear of the third place horse. That should come back as a pretty good number for a MSW winner. Farmington Road ran straight as a string through the stretch, got hit right-handed a couple of times. Only issue going forward is running style, seems to be a grinder without gears. We shall see...

TW

[DoctorDisaster]

must be TAP graduation day.Has odds on favorites in the next races at Aqueduct(4) and Gulfstream(6).