Notes - Nov 11

- It was strange to look at Churchill races in the Form today and see the 0-for-29 record for Todd Pletcher. 17 of those were on Breeders Cup day of course, in what could be some kind of a record for the most money earned by a trainer in a single day without winning a race.

The 0-fer grew to 30 when Cleverdale ran 7th as the 2-1 favorite in the 6th today, but came to a decisive end in the 8th. Pletcher's two-year old Minefield (Silver Deputy) made his first start since winning his debut at Churchill by eight in May. Sent off as the slight favorite over stablemate Point of Reason, Minefield circled six wide and drew away to a three length win, thus earning a spot onto Haskin's first Road to the Derby article (which will offer no opinion on the colt's eventual stallion prospects).

Pletcher has been doing just fine here in New York; in fact, he sent out his record breaking 54th graded stakes winner of the year at the Big A on Breeders Cup day. And since that day, he has sent out seven runners, and has five winners, a second and a third. He was two-for-two today. He took the second with first-time juvenile, and 2-1 favorite Storm Trust, a Storm Boot colt that sold for $310,000 earlier this year. Then he won the 8th with Spring At Last, his three-year old half-brother to Sharp Lisa, both out of a half-sister to the three-time Grade 1 winner Bien Bien.

A group of Pletcher's Breeders Cup runners arrived at Palm Meadows, but a couple of others were amongst the 11 horses that comprise his first group of West Coast runners arriving at Hollywood Park. Friendly Island and Circular Quay were in the group; the latter is one of seven owned by Michael Tabor.