Todd Pletcher

Todd Pletcher grew up around racing as his father, J.J. Pletcher, trained American Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds throughout the West, Southwest and Midwest. He spent summers working for his father, who encouraged him to become a trainer. His father now operates Payton Training Center near Ocala, Fla.

Between his junior and senior years of high school, Pletcher worked for trainer Henry Moreno in Southern California. While attending the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program, he worked for D. Wayne Lukas between his sophomore and junior years and for Charlie Whittingham the following summer. After graduating with an animal science degree in 1989, Todd went to work for Lukas in New York under Lukas’ son, Jeff. By 1991, he was promoted to assistant trainer, splitting his time between Florida and New York.

Todd went out on his own in December 1995 after 6 1/2 years with Lukas.

On May 6, 2021, the Racing Hall of Fame announced Pletcher would be inducted as part of this year's class.

“I’m really humbled to be elected to the Hall of Fame. It’s an incredible honor and something that doesn’t happen without having great support around you,” Pletcher said. “I’ve been extremely fortunate to have a great team to work with and my family has been there every step of the way. There have been so many great owners who have trusted me with their horses and those horses have meant everything to me. Along with my family and team, I had amazing opportunities to learn from the likes of Wayne and Jeff Lukas and working winters alongside Kiaran McLaughlin, who taught me a lot about horses and also how to work with owners and communication skills. It really was a stroke of good fortune to come up with people like that around me.

“Training horses is all I ever wanted to do. I remember being 11 or 12 and telling my mom I wanted to train and she said it was wonderful. From that point on with her endorsement I never thought of doing anything else.”