Mindframe Set for Jockey Club Gold Cup With Breeders’ Cup in Sight

Todd Pletcher Also Keeps Fierceness and Locked at the Forefront of His Deep Older-Dirt Team in Saratoga

Mindframe se pone a punto hacia un nuevo objetivo de G1 / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).-Todd Pletcher is fine-tuning Mindframe, his two-time G1 winner, ahead of a bid to add another jewel in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1, $1,000,000) at Saratoga on Aug. 31—a race that also carries a guaranteed berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

“He’s doing very well, everything on schedule,” Pletcher said of the Stephen Foster (G1) winner at Churchill Downs on June 28. “He’ll work again this weekend.”

Since his Louisville triumph, the Constitution colt has had four workouts at Saratoga, including a recent 1,000-meter move in 1:01 flat on the main track alongside the unraced Operation Overlord (Into Mischief), who finished in 1:01.55. “It was very good. We wanted to do a bit more since we have time before the race, so we worked him with company. He responded well,” Pletcher added.

Racing for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, Mindframe returns to the distance and venue where, in only his third career start, he finished a half-length second to Dornoch (Good Magic) in last year’s Belmont Stakes (G1). This season, he has already shown versatility, winning the Churchill Downs (G1) over 1,400 meters coming from off the pace.

“He’s a special horse, capable of doing everything well. It’s rare to have one who can win a G1 at 1,400 meters, at 1,800 meters, and then finish second in the Belmont in just his third start,” Pletcher reflected.

Pletcher also has other stars in action. Fierceness (City of Lights), the 2023 Champion 2-Year-Old, ran fifth as the favorite in the Whitney (G1) on Aug. 2 after a troubled trip, racing wide on both turns before fading late to Sierra Leone (Gun Runner). “He looks good, and all options are open. It was a tough race: he got hung on the first turn, became a bit more anxious than we wanted, and had to go wide again on the final turn. But he came back well, so we’ll regroup,” Pletcher said.

Meanwhile, Locked (Gun Runner), winner of the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) in March, was third in the Suburban (G2) on July 4 as the favorite. Returning after nearly a year off, he scored by 7½ lengths at Belmont in October, then captured the Cigar Mile (G2) in December. He is nominated to the Forego (G1) on Aug. 23 at Saratoga, though his next target is not yet set.

“He’s won at 1,400 meters and a mile, so he’s effective around turns. We’re keeping all options open,” Pletcher said.

With Mindframe aiming high and Fierceness and Locked ready to shine again, Pletcher heads into the final stretch of the season with a first-rate arsenal, aiming for big dreams in the North American fall.