When Grade 2 winner FLEET INDIAN (Indian Charlie) made her first start under
the tutelage of trainer Todd Pletcher in March, she was bringing a two-race win
skein along. That streak has now been extended to six, and on Saturday the
five-year-old mare is set to take on four rivals while going for her first Grade
1 score in the $400,000 Personal Ensign H. (G1) at Saratoga.
Fleet Indian began her current streak in the Montauk H. in late
November, and followed that up with her final start as a four-year-old, scoring
in an allowance at Philadelphia Park in late December. Not seen again until March 26, the dark bay mare marked off victories in the Next Move H. (G3), Sixty
Sails H. (G3) and Obeah H. by a combined 21 lengths. She then tried 10
furlongs for the first time when running in the $1 million Delaware H. (G2) on July 16, and dominated
with an easy 5 1/2-length score.
“We didn’t necessarily guess she was going to reel off four in a row and win
a $1 million race,” Pletcher said. “She was a nice filly who had a good record
before we got her. We’re hoping to keep her in the right direction.”
Fleet Indian will tote two more pounds at 118 than her four rivals with Jose Santos aboard, but before she can add a seven-straight win to her record,
she’ll have to hold off BALLETTO (UAE) (Timber Country).
The chestnut miss was stricken with colic after her two-year-old season,
surgery was planned and her retirement was announced. However, the Tom
Albertrani charge didn’t stay retired, returning in March to begin her
four-year-old campaign.
“It wasn’t that severe,” Albertrani said of the colic and surgery. “When they
got her down to surgery, they were able to massage the impaction through. They
didn’t have to cut any of the intestines. It gave her a lot better chance.
Luckily, there were no complications from the colic. After she was fully recovered,
Sheikh Mohammed decided to run her as an older filly.”
Since then, Balletto has run second in the Shuvee H. (G2), third in the Ogden
Phipps H. (G1), and second by a nose in the Go for Wand H. (G1) last out.
She’ll get Javier Castellano aboard for the 59th renewal of this 10-furlong event and
break from the rail post. To her outside will be YOLANDA B. TOO (Two Punch)
under jockey
Garrett Gomez; SOUL SEARCH (A.P. Indy), John Velazquez; INDIA HALO (Arg) (Halo Sunshine), Jose
Espinoza; and Fleet Indian.