Pletcher holds pair of aces for Woodward Stakes.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2007/August/30/Pletcher-holds-pair-of-aces-for-Woodward-Stakes.aspx ^ | August 30, 2007 | Steve Bailey

[gate2wire]

Grade 1 winner Lawyer Ron will try for his second straight graded stakes triumph at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday as he takes on seven challengers, including stablemate Magna Graduate, in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (G1).

Trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle both Lawyer Ron, who won the Whitney Handicap by 4 3/4 lengths in track-record time in his previous start on July 28, and Magna Graduate, a Grade 2 winner with a pair of Grade 3 victories from five starts this season, in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Lawyer Ron has won three of his five starts this season, including the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 7. The four-year-old Langfuhr colt finished third in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) on May 28 at Belmont Park and second in the Salvator Mile Handicap (G3) on June 23 at Monmouth Park prior to his impressive score in the Whitney, when he ran 1 1/8 miles in a track-record 1:46.64.

“Obviously, we’d love to see Lawyer Ron do as well as he did last time,” Pletcher said. “The horse is more cooperative than he once was, but I don’t know that in every scenario he’d relax as well as he did the other day. He benefited from the outside post and being in the clear.”

This time around, Lawyer Ron will break from the rail under Pletcher’s first-call rider, John Velazquez.

[gate2wire]

The field, in post-position order with (sire), jockey, weight and trainer:

1. Lawyer Ron (Langfuhr), John Velazquez, 126, Todd Pletcher;

2. Diamond Stripes (Notebook), Edgar Prado, 126, Richard Dutrow Jr.;

3. Magna Graduate (Honor Grades), Garrett Gomez, 126, Todd Pletcher;

4. Sun King (Charismatic), Alan Garcia, 126, Nick Zito;

5. Corinthian (Pulpit), Kent Desormeaux, 126, James Jerkens;

6. Wanderin Boy (Seeking the Gold), Rafael Bejarano, 126, Nick Zito;

7. Political Force (Unbridled's Song), Cornelio Velasquez, 126, Allen Jerkens; and

8. Brass Hat (Prized), Willie Martinez, 126, William Bradley.

[gate2wire]

http://www.drf.com/row/pps/07woodward.pdf

PPs here.

[ml/nj]

Post Time is at 2:49 PM, where I am today. It's always sad to aprroach the end of another Saratoga meet.

But Keeneland beckons!

ML/NJ

[gate2wire]

Never been to Keeneland. I’ll get there one day.

Great race today. I expect Lawyer Ron to bounce.
That’s the way I’ll bet it anyway. Leaning towards Diamond Stripes and Political Force. Bothers me that PF is 0-6 at Saratoga so I will tread lightly. FWIW.