After a bobbled start and swerving to miss a downed Anna Napravnick,
Pluck with jock Garrett Gomez steadied to win the #1 million Breeders'
Cup Juvenile Turf (GII) at a distance of one mile over the Matt Winn
Turf Course at Churchill Downs.
Conditioner Todd Pletcher was pleased with the victory, especially given the circumstances.
"At that point, you're just hoping you can regroup and hit the board," said Pletcher. "He really exploded down the lane."
Gomez agreed.
"I pretty much went to Plan C and just tried to let him gallop along and tried to come up with some kind of run," he said. "He actually turned in a brilliant performance."
The downed jockey Anna Napravnik was unharmed, after her mount Rough Sailing lost footing into the first turn. The horse was vanned off the track.
Pluck paid $14.70, $6.60, and $5.00. Soldat with Alan Garcia aboard returned $5.20 and $4.00. John Velazquez on Wilcox Inn paid $8.80 to show.
