Pletcher Evaluating Preakness 2015 Entries

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent Materiality, Carpe Diem and Competitive Edge to the racetrack at Belmont Park Wednesday morning as the evaluation process began to determine their respective statuses for the 140th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course May 16.

“They went back to the track today and jogged and seemed to be in good order. They’ll go back to galloping tomorrow and we’ll see how it goes,” Pletcher said.

“Of the 3-year-olds we ran on Derby Day, the only one that we’ve definitely excluded from consideration for the Preakness Stakes entries is Itsaknockout. That would leave Competitive Edge, Materiality and Carpe Diem,” he added. “I wouldn’t say they’re probable, possible, unlikely or likely. We haven’t excluded them from consideration.”

Pletcher saddled three horses for last Saturday’s Derby, in which Materiality finished a troubled sixth, Itsaknockout checked in ninth, and Carpe Diem came in 10th. The six-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer visited the Churchill Downs winner’s circle Saturday following undefeated Competitive Edge’s 4 ½-length triumph in the Pat Day Mile (G3) on the Derby undercard.

Materiality, the Florida Derby (G1) winner who was undefeated in three starts, got off to a slow start and dropped back to 17th with a quarter of a mile to go before kicking in through the stretch .

“I was very pleased with the way he finished. I was obviously disappointed with the start of the race. It kind of left him in a position where he had too much to do turning for home. I thought he ran very well,” Pletcher said. “It’s kind of frustrating to think what may have been had he gotten off to a better start. But he came out of it very well. He proved his class anyway.”

Carpe Diem, who won the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), got away from his inside post position in good shape but was no factor through the stretch.

“He came out of it very well. The outcome was disappointing. He put himself in perfect position. He got a perfect trip, but I never felt truly confident watching him that he was handling the surface as well as he has others. Despite that he seemed to be fighting on until the end and wasn’t beaten too far,” Pletcher said.

Stanford, who was scratched from the Derby field two days before the first jewel of the Triple Crown, was under consideration for Saturday’s Peter Pan Stakes (G2) at Belmont but was not entered.

“We didn’t feel like he was quite ready for the Peter Pan, so we’re going to pass on that. We’ll see how he does this week and come up with a game plan,” Pletcher said.