The Leopard pounces in Generous, hands Pletcher money
record
Magnier, Smith & Tabor’s THE LEOPARD (Storm Cat) struck the front at the top
of the lane and emphatically dismissed a challenge from Indian Sun (Indian
Charlie) to take Friday’s $111,800
Generous
S. (G3) at Hollywood Park. In the process, winning trainer Todd Pletcher
eclipsed his own North American record for money won in a season, with his new
record total standing at $26,850,873 after the Generous. His prior mark of
$26,820,243 was set in 2006.
Garrett Gomez settled the Pletcher pupil in
midpack off a frenetic early pace of :22 2/5 and :45 4/5, only taking closer
order on the far turn. After smoothly taking command, The Leopard found another
gear to repel Indian Sun and stormed home by a convincing 2 1/4 lengths. The
dark bay juvenile blitzed the mile on the firm turf in 1:34 1/5, paying $3.60,
$2.80 and $2.40 as the 4-5 favorite.
Indian Sun, who broke his maiden sprinting last time out, ran a terrific race
in his stakes and two-turn debut. In complete isolation by 2 3/4 lengths, the
5-1 runner-up yielded $4.80 and $3.20. Meer Kat (Red Ransom) rallied from last
to grab third by a neck, returning $4.20 at nearly 10-1. The $1 exotics were
worth $10 (exacta), $51.90 (trifecta) and $246.30 (9-3-10-6 superfecta).
Spinning Sound (Ire) (Spinning World) crossed the wire in fourth, trailed by
Robscarvic (Ire) (Statue of Liberty), Yes It’s a Cat (Tactical Cat), D. Double
You (Lion Hearted) and early pace duelists Make Them Break (Sunday Break [Jpn])
and Gone Grand (Grand Slam). Coastal Eddy (Hussonet) was scratched.
With this second stakes victory on his resume, The Leopard advanced his
scorecard to 6-3-1-0, $173,700. The $2.5 million two-year-old in training
purchase began his career on the dirt, breaking his maiden at Saratoga and
checking in a disappointing fifth in the Futurity S. (G2) at Belmont Park.
Pletcher then tried him on Belmont’s turf, and The Leopard responded with a
wire-to-wire victory in the Pilgrim S. He wasn’t able to put his best foot
forward next time out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Monmouth, retreating
to seventh on the yielding ground, but he rebounded in grand style here.
Pletcher commented on his banner day, which also featured major victories by
A. P. Arrow (A.P. Indy) in the $554,000 Clark H. (G2) at Churchill Downs and
Mini Sermon (Pulpit) in the $150,000 Top Flight H. (G2) at Aqueduct.
“It was a good day,” the reigning three-time Eclipse Award-winning
conditioner said with characteristic understatement. “It’s nice to break the
record with some important wins. It’s been a great year for the whole team.”
Pletcher saddled a total of five winners on Friday, and his runners racked up
$585,612 in earnings for their day’s labor.
Bred by Eagle Holdings in Kentucky, The Leopard is out of Irish Group
3-placed Moon Safari (Mr. Prospector), who is a full sister to multiple Grade 1
winner Scan. His second dam, the winning Video (Nijinsky II), is a full sister
to French champion Caerleon, Grade 1 hero Vision and French Group 2 victor Merce
Cunningham. The Leopard has two full siblings, an unnamed yearling filly and a
weanling colt.