Todd Pletcher (NYRA/Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has always had a knack for debuting well-bred juveniles during the prestigious Saratoga Race Course meet and this year appears to be no exception. In Saturday’s first race, Pletcher will saddle Harrel Ventures and Starlight Racing’s regally-bred Pirate for his career debut.
The dark bay colt is a son of freshman stallion Omaha Beach, who already has two graded stakes-placed progeny amongst his three winners. Pirate is a half-brother to Grade 1 Preakness winner National Treasure, with both being out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Treasure.
Pirate has displayed sharpness out of the gate during his morning breezes over the Oklahoma training track. He worked a bullet half-mile in 48.51 seconds on June 29 before going the same distance in 48.65 on July 7.
Pletcher said he hopes his blue-blooded juvenile can find his sea legs on debut.
“He’s been super professional. He’s got a great disposition,” Pletcher said. “The works have been good. We drew the one-hole which you don’t usually want to do with a first-time starter, but hopefully he breaks cleanly like he has in the morning.”
Bred in Kentucky by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, Pirate was a $350,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His second dam, Proposal, produced multiple stakes winner Inspired – the dam of graded stakes-placed Carmel Road. He hails from the line of Mahubah, who was the dam of the mighty Man o’ War and great great grand dam of 1946 Triple Crown winner Assault.
Read more about the “Rookies” running at Saratoga including Pirate in 2YO EdgeMan’s column in Past The Wire, “2YO Maiden Special Weight ‘Picks, Plays and Pontification’ – Saratoga, 07/15/2023” Click for column.
