Sports

Pletcher’s trio looks strong for Champagne

For many years, the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park was the year’s premier race for 2-year-olds, until it was superseded by the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1984. Now, today’s 141st running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Champagne serves as a major prep for the Juvenile. In fact, along with the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette for 2-year-old fillies, it is one of two Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge stakes on today’s 10-race card.

Todd Pletcher, who saddled the winners of last weekend’s two Grade 2 stakes for 2-year-olds, the Matron and Futurity, seems to have a stranglehold on today’s events.

In the Champagne, Pletcher sends out three undefeated young colts, any one of which has license to be favored: Shanghai Bobby, 3-for-3 under Rosie Napravnik, including the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga; Micromanage, a five-length debut winner upstate going seven furlongs; and Archwarrior, highly touted for his first start at the Old Spa, which he won by 3 1/4 lengths at 1-5.

“We were encouraged with the way [Shanghai Bobby] rated in the Hopeful,” Pletcher said. “The fact he got seven furlongs and wasn’t desperate doing it was a good indication that a one-turn mile should be within his scope.”

As for Micromanage, Pletcher said, “We were expecting him to run well, but he actually exceeded our expectations. He’s trained even better since then and has grown and filled out. He’s developing the way you want to see them do it this time of year.”

Archwarrior, said Pletcher, “is a big, strong colt who has shown us a lot of ability in the mornings, and I thought he backed it up with a solid effort in his debut. [Running in the Champagne] is an ambitious move, but we think that fits his schedule.”

Godolphin Stable’s Fortify, second in the Hopeful after winning first time out at Saratoga by 5 1/2 lengths for Kiaran McLaughlin, appears to be the main threat to the Pletcher trio.

Pletcher’s best 2-year-old of them all could be the Stonestreet homebred filly Dreaming of Julia, who will be 1-5 in the Frizette after winning her two starts by 10 1/2 and 16 1/4 lengths.