Derby News

When it comes to Keyed Entry, trainer Todd Pletcher is in a New York state of mind. With Saturday's Gotham Stakes (GIII) at Aqueduct now being run around two turns at a mile and a sixteenth, Pletcher simply took the route that made the most sense for the record-breaking winner of the Hutcheson Stakes (GII).

"After he ran so fast I thought it was important to give him a little extra time for his next start, so we decided on the March 18 races (as opposed to staying for the Fountain of Youth)," said Pletcher, looking for the best way possible for the colt to get to the May 6 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. "And the more we looked at it, the more sense the Gotham made to me. We're already set up there (at Belmont), the horses we have up there are running well over the inner track.

"What it really came down to whether or not we could encounter a situation that would be bitterly cold, and that's not the case," he added, noting that if the Gotham had been its traditional distance of a mile, Keyed Entry would be been in Arkansas for the Rebel Stakes. "We need to stretch the horse out and we felt like this is a good spot to do it in."

Pletcher will also be sending out Bluegrass Cat in the Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday, but will be in New York to saddle the undefeated Keyed Entry.

In the Gotham, the son of Honour and Glory, out of Ava Knowsthecode, will be facing a field that includes Achilles of Troy, winner of the Count Fleet and Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct; Sweetnorthernsaint, winner of the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park; Sunshine Alpine, Greeley's Legacy, the Nick Zito-trained Hesanoldsalt, Like Now, One Way Flight, and Putonyerdancinshuz.

Keyed Entry will be ridden by Edgar Prado as John Velazquez will be aboard Bluegrass Cat in Florida.

"In this particular case it was a very hard decision, not one that (Johnny) or (agent) Angel (Cordero Jr.) wanted to make this early in the season," said Pletcher. "Unfortunately both horses are running on March 18. As far back as the Remsen, they believed Bluegrass Cat was a potential Derby horse, and at that time Keyed Entry only had the one start at Monmouth Park."

Keyed Entry broke his maiden at Monmouth Park on July 10 in his only start at age 2, then won a six furlong allowance at Gulfstream Park on January 7. In his next start, he won the Hutcheson Stakes in the slop on February 4 by 1¼ lengths in track record time of 1:27.12 for 7½ furlongs, defeating highly regarded First Samurai in the process.

"Keyed Entry is an exceptionally gifted horse," he said. "He's got loads of speed, he's very willing, he's obviously done everything we've asked him to do so far."

Pletcher said he has no concerns about Keyed Entry's ability to handle the mile-and-a-sixteenth.

"He's an awfully good horse," he said. "As fast as he ran in Hutcheson, he can coast another sixteenth of a mile. The key is whether he can get a mile and an eighth or a mile and a quarter against the top colts around. We're trying to stretch him out with May 6 in mind."

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