Todd Pletcher planning to have first runner in Britain
Todd Pletcher, one of America’s top trainers, is planning to have his first runner in Britain at Goodwood next week.
Pletcher, who achieved a career ambition when Super Saver won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in May, has entered Starfish Bay, a four-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality, in the Group Three Group Two Audi King George Stakes over five furlongs.
Starfish Bay won on the turf at Gulfstream Park and Monmouth Park this year and the filly also set a new course record for five-and-a-half furlongs at Monmouth in June last year.
Michael Hernon, director of sales at Kentucky-based Gainesway Thoroughbreds, owners of Starfish Bay, said: “She will run for Todd at Goodwood and then we’ll evaluate where to go with her. She’s in very good form at the moment and she’s a very quick filly – we’re hopeful she will give a very good account of herself.
“We’ve been thinking about sending over horses to Europe and this filly seemed a suitable candidate, so we decided to take a shot with her.”
Not only will Starfish Bay be the trainer’s first runner in Britain, she will also be the first American-trained runner as Goodwood and there is also an international theme to the other highlight of next Thursday’s card.
The Group Two Artemis Goodwood Cup, run over two miles, could bring together the second and third from the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, Age Of Aquarius and Purple Moon, who was also runner-up in the 2007 Melbourne Cup.
Another horse to have finished second in Australia’s most famous race, Pop Rock, is also entered. Formerly trained in Japan, Pop Rock may travel over from Ireland for Curragh-based trainer Takashi Kodama, who is starting out on his second spell as a trainer in Ireland following a brief stint with a licence there five years ago.
Pop Rock, who travelled over to Kodama’s stables in May, had Grade Two victories in the Meguro Kinen at Tokyo in 2006 and 2007 but is best remembered for going down by a short-head to compatriot Delta Blues in the 2006 Melbourne Cup. He also finished runner-up in two of Japan’s most prestigious Grade One contests, chasing home Deep Impact in the Arima Kinen in December 2006, and was then beaten a head by Admire Moon in the Japan Cup the following November.
“I have entered Pop Rock in the Goodwood Cup and the race is an option for him as things stand, along with the Glorious Stakes the following day," Komada said. "He also holds an entry in a conditions race at Galway next week but, as long as everything is fine, I would like to run him at Goodwood.
“He is in good form at the moment - he is a nine-year-old but still looks fresh - and he worked very well last Tuesday. Mick Kinane and Fran Berry ride work on him and they said that he is good enough for Galway, but I was too scared to ask them if he was up to Group level.
“Pop Rock was one of the top horses in Japan but his form over the past couple of years has not been up to the same level. There are also fewer opportunities for stayers in Japan and so I asked the owners to let him come over and they were very keen to have some fun with him in Europe.”
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