Pletcher Sets Earnings Mark on 'Super Saturday'
Richard Rosenblatt, The Associated Press
Date Posted: 10/8/2006 4:59:02 PM Last Updated: 10/9/2006 5:53:31 PM

Todd Pletcher is having a year to remember, and there are still three months to go.

The trainer smashed the season earnings record he set a year ago with a super Saturday that included victories in three grade I stakes at Belmont Park and a grade II win at Philadelphia Park.

When Fleet Indian won the Beldame Stakes at Belmont, the winner's share of $360,000 pushed Pletcher past his previous record of $20,867,842.

"It's great we were able to do it in a big race," Pletcher said. "It's been a great year."

By the end of the day, Pletcher had also won the Flower Bowl Invitational with Honey Ryder, the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational with English Channel and the Cotillion Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. II) with India. He cashed in at Keeneland, too, when his 2-year-old Circular Quay finished second in the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. I).

When the math was complete, the two-time Eclipse Award winner's earnings stood at $21,575,624 through Saturday, according to Equibase figures. He also won $850,000 in Dubai.

In addition, Pletcher moved within one stakes win of equaling the season record of 92 set by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas in 1987. The trainer also has 16 grade I wins, nine off the mark set by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel in 2003.

Spun Sugar had a chance to add to Pletcher's total Sunday but finished eighth in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland.

"To me, the hardest two records are 92 stakes wins and Frankel's 25 grade I wins," Pletcher said. "Those are the ones that mean the most to the horses' value. We've had an incredible run."

Pletcher will add to his record in the coming months, and is looking at another potential jackpot in the Breeders' Cup on Nov. 4.

Fleet Indian will likely be the favorite in the Emirates Airline BC Distaff, while Honey Ryder (Emirates Airline BC Filly & Mare Turf), English Channel (John Deere Turf) and Circular Quay (Bessemer Trus Juvenile) will be among the top choices in their races.

"Everybody came out in good shape," Pletcher said Sunday. "Fleet Indian showed us she doesn't need the lead to run a big race. Both English Channel and Honey Ryder showed they are as good as any horse in their divisions."

Pletcher has a few more Breeders' Cup contenders running next week, including 2-year-old Scat Daddy in the Champagne (gr. I) and 2-year-old filly Awesome Ashley in the Frizette (gr. I) -- both at Belmont on Saturday.