Where do the years go?
If you are trainer Todd Pletcher you could be asking yourself that question regarding the Kentucky Derby (G1). This year's edition marks 25 years since his initial participation with four entrants.
At the time of his first Derby in 2000, the future Hall of Famer was 32 years old and in his fourth full year of training. He was still four years removed from winning the first of eight training Eclipse Awards and four years shy of earning the first of 10 titles as North America's leading trainer in purse earnings.
The depth of Pletcher's involvement in the world's most celebrated race is staggering. In this year's 151st running, he will extend his own record of saddling the most starters in the history of the Run for the Roses. Come May 3, Repole Stable's Grande, the trainer's sole participant, will be his 66th runner. His former boss, D. Wayne Lukas, has the second-most starters in the Derby and will be represented by his 51st entry, American Promise.
Since Pletcher's first Derby, the only year that he hasn't been a participant was 2003. Most years, he's had multiple runners, including 2007 and 2013 when he brought a record-tying quintet to the Churchill Downs paddock.
DERBY RECORD
His Derby record stands at 2-2-4 from 65 starters. WinStar Farm's homebred Super Saver got the monkey off his back in 2010 after the trainer went 0-for-24 in his first nine years at the Derby. In fairness, though, that doesn't tell the whole tale; among those two-dozen runners, Pletcher accounted for five top-four finishes.
He followed with his next winner in 2017 with Always Dreaming who competed as the post-time favorite for the partnership of Brooklyn Boyz, MeB Racing, Teresa Viola, St. Elias, Siena Farm, and West Point.
"I guess you can spin stats however you want … to me, we're 2-for-24 in the Derby," Pletcher said, using his years of participation as the math. "That's the way I looked at it. I don't think that's horrible. Obviously, we're not striving to be batting 8% in whatever we do, but I think when you look at these kinds of races, you can't expect to bat your normal 20%.
"We train for a lot of clients who want to participate in the Kentucky Derby," he added. "There's been a number of cases where the more prudent management might have been to pass (the Derby) and point toward the Preakness or easier races when we knew we were longshots. But I think that's what a lot of clients are in the business for—to participate in what most people would consider to be the biggest race in the world. Even if the purse doesn't (reflect) that, I think it's the most coveted. To be able to put our barn in the position to take a shot at that, I'm happy with that. I don't fret too much over the percentages of it.
"My mom, whenever we're together and she introduces me to someone, always says, 'Todd has won two Kentucky Derbys.' She doesn't say anything about all the other losers, so I'm kind of taking her lead on that."
DERBY DISAPPOINTMENTS
Pletcher's real Derby heartbreaks are with horses that never entered the starting gate. Uncle Mo (2011) and Forte (2023) were each named champion 2-year-old male after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). The Mike Repole-owned Uncle Mo was the second choice on the Derby morning line. Forte, the 3-1 morning-line favorite, was co-owned by Repole and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stables. The reasons for their scratches were vastly different. A gastrointestinal illness that plagued Uncle Mo in the lead-up to the Derby led Pletcher to announce the colt's defection the day before the race. A foot issue caused Forte's scratch by a Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarian the morning of the race.
The disappointment still lingers.
"You think about all of the horses we've gotten to the Derby over the years. We picked the right preps and we either earned the money or the points by having them in the right places at the right time to get to the Derby," Pletcher said. "Even knowing they were longshots going into the Derby, we did a good job of putting them in a position to take a shot at it.
"To think of getting all of those other horses into the Derby, but not getting there with Uncle Mo and Forte, that's still hugely disappointing to me."
Repole, either alone or in partnerships, is 0-for-8 in the Derby, with his best finish coming with Mo Donegal , the 2022 fifth-place finisher he co-owned with Donegal Racing. Repole has been a steadfast client and friend of Pletcher's since 2009, notable because racing can be an extremely fickle business. They've had incredible success in the upper echelons of the business. While those victories are never taken for granted, the Derby downers involving Uncle Mo and Forte are still talked about.
"Usually (the discussions) with Mike now are in a joking way," the trainer explained. "You know, we already had Uncle Mo and Forte scratch. What phone call could I make to Mike that is going to be any worse than that? By the way, I'm knocking on wood as I say that.
"I know it was terribly disappointing to Mike. I think it's one of the reasons we are close; we've shared those tough times together. You know who your true supporters are when things go bad and they stick by your side."
While it wasn't the ending they wanted, at least last year they made it into the Derby starting gate with the favorite, Fierceness, a Repole homebred, who finished 15th. The previous year's champion 2-year-old male and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner atoned for the loss by then winning the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and Travers Stakes (G1), before finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He is entered to make his 2025 debut in the May 2 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.
UNDER THE RADAR
Grande, a son of Curlin out the War Front mare Journey Home, was bought by Repole at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $300,000 from his breeder's consignment, KatieRich Farms. Grande was part of a huge haul of yearlings Repole purchased that year with bloodstock agent Jacob West and Pletcher by his side. Repole was the auction's second-leading buyer with 35 yearlings bought for $11,835,000. He acquired an additional eight horses in partnership with Spendthrift Farm for $4,185,000.
Grande earned his way into the Derby by picking up 50 points with an encouraging runner-up finish April 5 in the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial Stakes (G2). In the stretch, he was making up ground on the gate-to-wire winner, Rodriguez, who won by 3 1/2 lengths. Grande was 1 3/4 lengths clear of the third-place finisher, Passion Rules.
The Derby will represent the Kentucky-bred's fourth career start. He won on debut Jan. 11 at Gulfstream Park, taking a one-mile maiden special weight by 2 1/2 lengths under John Velazquez, who will ride him in the Derby. Next out, Grande was tested at 1 1/8 miles and won a Feb. 27 allowance optional claimer by 2 1/2 lengths at Gulfstream.
"Even though he has only had three starts, his debut was at a mile, and we were able to get him stretched out to a mile and an eighth twice," Pletcher said. "I like that he has shown improvement each time. I think the Wood was a sneaky good race.
"He had a difficult trip around the first turn," he continued. "He had to check off heels once and when he did that, it kind of parked him out six-wide right on the elbow of the turn going up the backstretch. He had to stay wide in order to keep advancing throughout. He ran against a good horse who got a good pace scenario. Grande showed in the Wood that he has the ability to compete with this group. Now the question is whether he has enough seasoning to be ready for this. I certainly think he has the pedigree and the stamina to stay the mile and a quarter."
Repole, a billionaire businessman, brings plenty of energy and intensity to everything he does, but he said that he's relishing the chill vibe he's having with Grande who is 20-1 on the morning line.
"After having the Derby favorite the last two years, I feel great being 20-1 … haha," Repole wrote in a text. "Grande is looking and training great and the pressure is a lot less than the two years."
Repole's quest to win the Derby has been fraught with so much drama and disappointment, it stands to reason that if a victory were to occur, its importance could not be overstated. Interestingly, though, he said a Derby win wouldn't eclipse his other accomplishments in racing.
"A Derby win would be one of the biggest achievements I've been fortunate to have as an owner," the 56-year-old owner shared. "Not sure it would be the biggest. I've been blessed to win a Belmont, two Travers, three Breeders' Cup Juveniles, and a Breeders' Cup Classic. I wouldn't trade any of those wins for the Derby."
As for the 57-year-old Pletcher, he is asked, "Do you have another 25 years of Derby starters in you?" After all, his 89-year-old mentor, Lukas, is still very much a player as evidenced by his triumph in last year's Preakness Stakes (G1) with Seize the Grey .
Pletcher's answer is delivered swiftly.
"Absolutely not. I don't have any retirement plans, but I don't foresee myself doing it forever."
Make no doubt, though, the trainer would like to put additional exclamation marks on his career with more Derby wins … particularly one for Repole.
