LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – In the unpredictable world of horse racing, Todd Pletcher is as steady and predictable as they come.
It’s evident in the way the 47-year-old trainer goes about his business from his spotless barn at Churchill Downs. Amid the hubbub of Kentucky Derby week, Pletcher is steely cool, with not a gray hair out of place or a spot on his jacket with the popped collar he wears to ward off the morning chill.
The desktop in his small office a stone’s throw from the row of horse stalls is tidy. The workout, feed and grooming schedules of his four Derby horses is as organized as a military operation.
His habits are a direct reflection of his mentor, D. Wayne Lukas, a Hall of Fame trainer with four Derby wins to his credit. Lukas will saddle Mr. Z in Saturday’s 141st Derby, and then watch with pride as four of his former assistants try to beat him.
Pletcher’s four entries represent one-fifth of the expected 20-horse field. His top horse is Carpe Diem, whose owners paid $1.6 million to buy and could be the third choice in the wagering. His other contenders are Fountain of Youth winner Itsaknockout, Florida Derby winner Materiality and Louisiana Derby runner-up Stanford.