Todd Pletcher notches another Holiday weekend win
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Be Better, a homebred from the Repole Stable, took another step in his development during his 3-year-old campaign by rallying from off the pace to score an impressive 5¼-length victory in Monday’s $60,000 featured allowance at Monmouth Park.
The victory by the son of Uncle Mo-Social Call by Smart Strike made the colt 2-for-2 in his sophomore campaign and gave Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher a second straight win in the feature race at the Jersey Shore track.
Pletcher’s Green Up won Sunday’s $100,000 Boiling Springs Stakes by 5¾ lengths.
Sent off at 3-1 in the field of seven 3-year-olds going a mile and 70 yards, Be Better took advantage of solid early fractions set by Pass and Stow, who was trying two turns for the first time. Pass and Stow took the field through an opening six furlongs in 1:09.80 before getting weary in mid-stretch. Be Better, ridden by Paco Lopez, swung five wide off the turn and roared past Pass and Stow as well as Cyberviking.
The winning time was 1:39.73.
Be Better, third in his only start at 2 in Maiden Special Weight company at Saratoga last year, has won both of his races this year at Monmouth Park going two turns.
Cyberking was second, three-quarters of a length better than Pass and Stow.
Be Better returned $8.00 to win.
Pletcher is now 7-for-30 at the meet, including an upset victory by Mind Control over Hot Rod Charlie in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile.
Racing resumes at Monmouth Park on Friday with an eight-race card. First race post time that day is 2 p.m.
Todd Pletcher’s Excellent Weekend
Todd Pletcher had four straight wins in a row Saturday at Belmont Park including the G2 Dwyer and G2 John A. Nerud with Charge It and Life Is Good, respectively. He took second in the Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs that day with Americanrevolution.
Sunday, the Hall of Fame trainer won three at Belmont Park: a win in the Perfect Sting with Jouster; an MSW with Lost Ark, winning on his debut and another MSW win with Street Tsar, also winning his debut. Pletcher took a third place with Aaron in his fist start.
Also on Sunday, Pletcher won the Boiling Springs with Green Up and was second in the previous race, a MSW, with Street Valour. He also placed second at Churchill Downs in the Maxfield Overnight Stakes with My Prankster.
Today, Todd Pletcher scores his 10th win of the weekend with Be Better in the feature Allowance at Monmouth. And as I was typing a second place at Belmont popped up in a MSW with Snowy Evening also making his first start.
Todd Pletcher is having a great Independence Day! Congrats to Team Pletcher!
Tom Lucci/Monmouth Park, Edited
Be Better #2 with Paco Lopez riding won the featured 7th race at Monmouth. Photo By Ryan Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
