Mindframe Training for Classic After JCGC Mishap

When it comes to Mindframe's last "race," it's a matter of perspective. Technically, the 4-year-old's most recent start was in the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course when he did not finish first or second for the only time in his eight-race career. More to the point, he didn't finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup as he was bumped hard shortly after the start and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was tossed from the saddle. Fortunately neither rider nor horse suffered a serious injury in the frightening incident that saw Mindframe circle the track without a jockey before he was caught by outriders. What was supposed to be a final major prep for the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) turned into a scary gallop, as well as Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables' son of Constitution's final "race" before the World Championships. Up next for the Todd Pletcher-trained Mindframe is the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, where he will be joined by stablemate Fierceness, who won last month's Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) and was second in the 2024 Classic for Pletcher and owner/breeder Mike Repole. "They both breezed last week. They were easy breezes in their first works after their races," Pletcher said. While it was a no-brainer to train Fierceness up to the Classic, Pletcher weighed his options with the multiple grade 1-winning Mindframe before deciding against racing him before the World Championships. "We felt even though it wasn't a true race, he still ran around there for a mile and an eighth (after the incident) and with the goal being having him at his very best on Classic day, we didn't believe running him back would necessarily achieve that," Pletcher said. The Jockey Club Gold Cup marked Mindframe's first loss of the year after three straight wins, including victories in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) and Churchill Downs Stakes (G1). Fierceness, the 2023 champion 2-year-old male, rebounded from a fifth in the Whitney Stakes (G1) to take the mile-and-a-quarter Aug. 30 Pacific Classic at Del Mar by 3 1/4 lengths over the 3-year-old Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism. "I thought Fierceness handled the trip out there really well. He held his weight, and he's showing good energy now," Pletcher said about the son of City of Light who will stand at Ashford Stud in Kentucky at the conclusion of his career. Pletcher said he plans to continue training both 4-year-olds at Saratoga before shipping them west the week of the Breeders' Cup. Pletcher is also in an enviable position for the Breeders' Cup juvenile dirt races with Spendthrift Farm's Hopeful Stakes (G1) victor Ted Noffey and Spinaway Stakes (G1) winner Tommy Jo. The Into Mischief offspring are scheduled to run next in two-turn, mile-and-a-sixteenth grade 1 stakes at Keeneland. "Those were big wins for them at Saratoga, and they were both impressive doing it," Pletcher said. "I like the idea of taking them to Keeneland to get them two-turn experience." Tommy Jo is scheduled to run Oct. 3 in the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) with Ted Noffey targeting the Oct. 4 Breeders' Futurity (G1). "The way he finished and galloped out full of energy in the Hopeful indicates that he should handle the added distance," Pletcher said about Ted Noffey.