Trainer Pletcher Equals Veitch's Saratoga Win Record

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By Phil Janack
Todd Pletcher equaled a 49-year-old Saratoga Race Course record when 4-year-old filly School for Scandal won the second race on Monday.

The victory was Pletcher's 24th of the meet, matching the number late Hall of Famer Sylvester Veitch won in 1954, a record many experts felt was unapproachable.

Veitch set the mark when Saratoga was a 24-day meet. Monday was Day 18, halfway through a meet that was expanded to 36 days in 1997.

"I don't know what to say, really," Pletcher said. "He obviously didn't have the number of horses that we do. It was just a different era. What'd he win, 65 percent of his races? We're having a good meet. He had an unbelievable meet.

"It's a great accomplishment for our whole staff and the program and the owners. I'm fortunate enough that I'm training some good horses."

Pletcher's 24th win came in his 63rd start this summer, both by far the most among trainers. Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel ranks second with six wins.

From 1989-96, Pletcher worked as an assistant for another Hall of Famer, D. Wayne Lukas, who walked down to the winner's circle after the second race to offer his congratulations.

"This is wonderful," said Lukas, sitting in a clubhouse box next to Pletcher. "Todd was exceptional from the get-go. He was always good. He saw things. He was a detail person. He carried himself in great style through it all. It's a great tribute. I was very happy. I'm glad I was here to see it."

Ironically, the third race was won by Donaldson Flats, a 2-year-old trained by John Veitch, who was 9 years old when his father set the Saratoga record. Syl Veitch died in 1996 at the age of 86.

"It's nice my father is remembered for the record," Veitch said. "It was only a matter of time. It was an eventuality. It stood for a long time, and I'm sure my father would be unhappy about it because he was very proud of it. Todd's worked hard to get there."

Pletcher did not win any of his other starters on Monday, and ended the first half of the meet tied for the record. After getting the equalizer in the second race, he was last of nine with first-time starter Simply Perfect in the fourth, second to favored Tina Bull in the seventh and fourth of seven in the Adirondack (gr. II) to Whoopi Cat.

Pletcher has three horses entered on Wednesday's card, including Limehouse, the likely favorite in the Saratoga Special (gr. II), and four horses entered on Thursday.

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