Pletcher Set To Unveil 3YO Kantharos Filly Monroe
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will seek to give maiden winner Clubhouse a stakes triumph in Saturday’s $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct Racetrack. The six-furlong test for sophomores could be the Speightstown chestnut’s audition for the Derby trail, as Pletcher said the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham on March 4 at the Big A could be within question.
Owned by Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing, Clubhouse has been a work in progress since his debut in July at Saratoga, where he was a distant seventh going 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Clubhouse completed the trifecta in two other maiden turf events before switching to the main track and finding the winner’s circle at sixth asking going seven furlongs on January 14 here over the good main track.
The Jimmy Winkfield-to-Gotham pipeline has been recently used by Morello [2022] and Haikal [2019].
“We’ll see how he does. If he were to run well that could be a possibility for him,” Pletcher said.
Clubhouse broke sharply in his maiden triumph under Kendrick Carmouche and tracked longshot Golden Bird Forest through an opening quarter-mile in 24.15 seconds before taking command approaching the far turn and drawing off to a 6 1/2-length triumph. He completed the seven furlongs in 1:27.05.
Pletcher spoke highly of Clubhouse’s well-roundedness.
“He’s versatile and seems to handle both the dirt and turf pretty well,” Pletcher said. “We felt like last time was sort of his breakthrough race that we’ve been hoping for. I wouldn’t have minded coming back at seven [furlongs] again, but this seemed like the good opportunity for him. He’s doing well so we’re giving it a try.”
Bought for $425,000 from the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Clubhouse is out of the Tapit mare Wild Ridge, who is a half-sister to Grade 2 Remsen winner Dubyuhnell. Both are out of the multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Wild Gams.
Clubhouse, tabbed as the 5-2 second choice, will be ridden by HaII of Famer John Velazquez, who picks up the mount for the injured Carmouche.
Pletcher will debut Monroe for Harrell Ventures and Seaside Racing in Race 1 on Saturday’s card, a six-furlong maiden special weight for state-bred sophomore fillies.
The chestnut daughter of Kantharos has been training forwardly at Pletcher’s primary winter division at Palm Beach Downs and has logged two breezes from the gate in her past two moves. She recently went a half-mile in 49.84 seconds on February 4.
“The filly has been training well. I think she’s the type that has some early speed. Hopefully, she gets away cleanly and makes a good run,” Pletcher said.
Monroe was hammered down for $320,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Florida Select Sale, where she was selected by Steven W. Young.
“She worked well and she’s an attractive filly. Being a New York-bred is an added bonus,” Pletcher said.
Monroe is out of the A.P. Indy mare Girlaboutown, who produced stakes-placed New York-bred Ready A.P. Her second dam is Carmandia – a dual graded stakes winner on the NYRA circuit.
Velazquez will ride from post 6 as the 6-5 morning line favorite.
