Todd Pletcher (glasses) with owner Mike Repole© Photo Healy Racing
The team behind Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Fierceness are confident they have America’s best dirt horse on their hands ahead of his mouthwatering clash with City Of Troy at Del Mar.
Owned by the Repole Stable operation of New York businessman Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher, Fierceness has already tasted success at the Breeders’ Cup when an ultra-impressive winner of the Juvenile at Santa Anita last November.
Although faltering when sent off favourite for the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, he has left that Churchill Downs disappointment way in the past, winning his last two.
Last seen claiming the Grade One Travers Stakes at Saratoga – with Chad Brown’s Sierra Leone in third – he heads to where the surf meets the turf as the home team’s main hope of Classic success.
Buoyed by Fierceness’ work since that Travers victory, connections are now looking forward to challenging the very best from around the globe in the $7million event, as joining City Of Troy on the dirt are some of Japan’s best middle-distance operators.
“Fierceness is doing great and Todd says he is training fantastically ahead of the Classic,” said Ed Rosen, general manager of Repole Stable.
“The time off since the Travers has done him well and we’re all very pleased with how he is heading into the race.
“I think he is America’s best hope and people are narrowing it down to three, the Japanese horse Forever Young, City Of Troy representing Europe and then there’s Fierceness representing America. They seem to be the big three.
“Everyone had kind of questioned Fierceness’ form, but I think now he has proven himself and has put together two very good races and we are passed that. We’re counting on him to produce his best form.
“I think it’s very exciting to have a horse that was a two-year-old champion with the possibility of being a three-year-old champion and winning the Classic, that would certainly be a tremendous accomplishment.”
Also representing the Repole colours in California are juvenile pair Mentee and Tenacious Leader who both head for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and will face off against the likes of Andrew Balding’s New Century and Charlie Appleby’s pair Al Qudra and Aomori City.
A brother to Fierceness, Mentee is another to carry American hopes at Del Mar, heading into the one-mile event having stylishly won the Grade Three Futurity Stakes earlier this month.
“We will be represented by Tenacious Leader and Mentee who is Fierceness’ full-brother,” continued Rosen.
“We have an operation where we look forward year after year to being able to compete at this level so to have two-year-olds competing at the Breeders’ Cup is gratifying and exciting.”
