One on One with Todd Pletcher

Todd Pletcher-trained Forte gets the job done in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)

Yet another great episode of Past The Wire TV. Todd Pletcher joins Jonathan Stettin for some One on One. They talk Forte and Charge It as well as some key moments in Todd’s magnificent career.

Any racing fan will appreciate this frank discussion with one of the sports best. How does Todd choose his riders? What is his favorite moment in racing and why?

Thank you for watching Past The Wire TV. If you enjoy this show hit the like button or leave a comment and let us know. You may also like this quick interview with one of the key Pletcher owners Mike Repole from The Breeders’ Cup.

Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Summary of One on One with Todd Pletcher

In this video, trainer Todd Pletcher talks about how he prepares his horses for the Kentucky Derby, how he selects riders for his horses, and some of his thoughts on the Derby field. He also discusses two special moments in his career, one with the horse Rags to Riches and the other with Johnny Velasquez’s Derby winner, Animal Kingdom. Pletcher talks about the pressure of training horses for the Derby and how it motivates him to win.

00:00:00 Todd Pletcher, one of the most successful thoroughbred horse trainers, is interviewed. He talks about one of his Kentucky Derby contenders, Forte, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is now preparing for the Fountain of Youth and possibly the Florida Derby or the Bluegrass Stakes before the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher mentions that the main focus is to put some weight on Forte and make sure that he is ready for his campaign. He also talks about Charge It, who was impressive in his comeback after a setback and ran a good race but lacked seasoning in the Florida Derby. Despite this, Pletcher views Charge It as a possible leading contender in the older horse division this year.

00:05:00 Todd Pletcher discusses how he selects riders for his horses, how race preparations are going, and his thoughts on the Kentucky Derby field. He mentions that availability and scheduling play a big role, and that they use some of the best jockeys in the world. They also consider the fit between the rider and horse, and sometimes make decisions based on how the horse performs with a particular jockey during morning exercise sessions.

00:10:00 Todd Pletcher recalls two special moments in his career- one with the famous Filly Rags to riches in the Belmont, and the other with Johnny Velasquez’s Kentucky Derby winning horse, Animal Kingdom.

00:15:00 Todd Pletcher discusses the pressure of training horses for the Derby, and how it motivates him to win.