FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2018 EHV-1 CONFIRMED IN LEXINGTON PLETCHER UNVEILS PLANS The Kentucky Office of State Veterinarian has reported a FOR TOP SOPHOMORES diagnosis of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 in Barn 3 at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Kentucky, according to a posting early Thursday morning on the Equine Disease Communication Center=s website and confirmed by Dr. Robert Stout, Kentucky State Veterinarian and Executive Director of the OSV (Office of the State Veterinarian). The case was reported Tuesday after a horse that had presented with fever of unknown origin was sampled and the test revealed the horse to be positive for EHV-1 >wild type= on both nasal wash and whole blood. The statement, posted by the Kentucky Office of State Veterinarian, reads, AThe barn was immediately secured with no horses being allowed to move into or out of the barn and biosecurity protocols were put in place. The affected barn=s population is currently comprised of 18 horses including the index case. Cont. p7 Todd Pletcher | Sarah Andrew By Christie DeBernardis IN TDN EUROPE TODAY With a barn full of top horses, trainer Todd Pletcher is a force to be reckoned with on the Triple Crown trail year in and year STAUFFENBERG BLOODSTOCK: A SHARED PASSION out. The conditioner has already won the GI Kentucky Derby Emma Berry chats with Philipp and Marion Stauffenberg of Stauffenberg Bloodstock, German-based consignors. twice and boasts three wins in the GI Belmont S., including Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. respective victories in those Classic contests last year with Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and Tapwrit (Tapit), who are both returning for 2018 campaigns. Last seen finishing off the board in the GI Travers S. Aug. 26, GI Kentucky Derby hero Always Dreaming was given some time off and has been working towards his return. The bay most recently fired a half-mile bullet in :49.87 at Palm Beach Downs on Valentine=s Day. AHe=s doing great,@ Pletcher said. AHe breezed a half again [Wednesday] and is looking good. We are probably a couple of works away from zeroing in on a race.@ Belmont winner Tapwrit has also been on vacation since the Travers, where he finished fourth. AHe is currently galloping at Bridlewood and we expect to have him back to us within a month,@ Pletcher said. The seven-time Eclipse-winning conditioner is primed for another big Triple Crown season this term with a slew of talented sophomores led by GII Holy Bull S. victor Audible (Into Mischief) and undefeated ATDN Rising Star@ Noble Indy (Take Charge Indy). Cont. p3 PRESIDENT & CO-PUBLISHER Barry Weisbord @barryweisbord [email protected] SR. V.P. & CO-PUBLISHER Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Friday, February 16, 2018 Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN News and Features Editor Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Associate Editors Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN Assistant Editor Bobby Klatt ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistants Ready for his close-up: GII Risen Star S. contender High North (Midnight Lute) meets Alexa Reisfield Michelle Benson with the camera crew at Fair Grounds ahead of Saturday's main event. The Brad Cox trainee drew the rail in a field of 10. | @fairgroundsnola Twitter Photo Editor/Dir. of Distribution Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew [email protected] NEW ‘RISING STAR’ FOR MALIBU MOON RR Social Media Strategist Justina Severni Making his first start at a route of ground, Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) relaxed nicely off the early pace, was steered Director of Customer Service out four wide at the top of the Tampa stretch and was ridden Vicki Forbes [email protected] out to score in near track-record time to become the newest ‘TDN Rising Star’ Thursday. He will likely make his next appearance Marketing Manager in the GII Rebel S. at Oaklawn Park Mar. 17, trainer Todd Pletcher Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen said. Director of Information Technology Ray Villa [email protected] NOTABLE US-BREDS IN JAPAN RR In his weekly series, Alan Carasso takes a look at some of the Bookkeeper Terry May weekend’s US-bred runners entered across the tracks of the [email protected] Japan Racing Association. Sunday at Kokura, Dashing Blaze (Kitten’s Joy),winner of the G3 Epsom Cup last June, makes WORLDWIDE INFORMATION International Editor his return to action in the G3 Kokura Daishoten. Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] European Editor Emma Berry [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 10 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 16, 2018 Pletcher cont. A second-out graduate going a mile at Aqueduct Nov. 15, the New York-bred Audible captured an allowance over that track and trip Dec. 6. The $500,000 FTFMAR buy was originally being pointed for a New York-bred stake, but was re-routed to the Holy Bull when that race was canceled to due to bad weather. That choice proved to be wise when the China Horse Club, WinStar and SF Racing runner blew the field away for a 5 1/2-length score over GISW Free Drop Billy (Union Rags) (video). ARight now the plan is to go straight to the [GI] Florida Derby [Mar. 31] with him,@ Pletcher said. AWe were expecting him to run well [in the Holy Bull]. We liked the way he fit in the race and the way he was training, but I think the final outcome exceeded even our expectations.@ Audible | A. Coglianese Campaigned by breeder WinStar Farm and Repole Stable, Noble Indy romped by 8 3/4 lengths on debut sprinting at Gulfstream Dec. 3 and was tabbed a ATDN Rising Star@ next out when he scored a 3/4-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile allowance there Jan. 11 (video). The bay is drawn in post two for Saturday=s GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds with a 5-1 morning-line quote. AHe=s been training super,@ Pletcher said. AWe are looking forward to seeing how he handles a new location and a step up in class. We are very pleased with the way he is coming up to it.@ Robert and Lawana Low=s Magnum Moon (Malibu Moon) was quite impressive when winning his six-panel Gulfstream unveiling by 4 1/2 lengths (video). The $380,000 KEESEP buy followed suit with an effortless victory going two turns at Tampa Thursday in close to track record time, making him Pletcher=s newest ATDN Rising Star@ (video). Cont. p4 TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 10 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 16, 2018 When asked Thursday morning what his plans are for the bay should he run well at Tampa, Pletcher said, AAssuming that he runs well and comes out of it in good order, we talked to the ownership about going to Arkansas as they would like to race at Oaklawn, so the [GII] Rebel [S. Mar. 17] would be under consideration.@ Pletcher has been quite successful at Tampa, prepping Always Dreaming for his GI Florida Derby victory there last year and winning the GII Tampa Bay Derby with Tapwrit. This year he will be represented by GIII Sam F. Davis S. third-place finisher Vino Rosso (Curlin) in the Oldsmar oval=s marquee event Mar. 10. A first-out winner at Aqueduct Nov. 11, the $410,000 KEESEP purchase captured a Tampa allowance Dec. 22 and came flying late to complete the trifecta in last Saturday=s Sam Davis (video). A[The Sam Davis] was a good education for him,@ Pletcher said. AI like the way he finished and galloped out. Right now, the plan is to take him back to the Tampa Bay Derby.@ Marconi | A. Coglianese The Coolmore contingent and Bridlewood Farm went to $2 million at the Keeneland September sale to acquire Marconi (Tapit), a half-brother to GI Breeders= Cup Classic hero Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno). Tabbed a ATDN Rising Star@ for his good-looking 5 1/2-length graduation in his second start at Aqueduct Dec. 15 (video), the gray broke slow and displayed some greeness when third in the GIII Withers S. last time Feb. 3. AWe are giving the [GII] Fountain of Youth [S.] some consideration,@ Pletcher said. AWe are going to breeze him on Saturday and see how he does.@ Racing fans have been waiting anxiously for ATDN Rising Star@ Montauk (Medaglia d=Oro) to make his next start and they will have to wait a bit longer now that the colt has been sidelined by a minor throat issue. The $850,000 OBSAPR grad has been one of the buzz horses since rolling home to a dominant 11 1/4-length victory in his career bow at Belmont Oct. 7 (video). Cont. p5 TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 5 OF 10 • THETDN.COM FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 16, 2018 Pletcher cont. Runner-up to unbeaten ATDN Rising Star@ and Mucho Macho AHe=s at Bridlewood in Ocala and will probably get a couple Man S. hero Mask (Tapit) on debut at Belmont Oct. 20, Navistar weeks off after the minor throat procedure,@ Pletcher said. AHe=s (Union Rags) earned his diploma next out in Hallandale Dec.