Buy Tickets
Todd Pletcher
Record at Keeneland
Career Firsts
Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes
| Year | Horse | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Be You | 8th |
| 2023 | Tapit Trice | Won |
| 2021 | Untreated | 8th |
| 2019 | So Alive | 6th |
| 2018 | Marconi | 8th |
| 2017 | Tapwrit | 5th |
| 2016 | Donegal Moon | 8th |
| 2016 | Cards of Stone | 10th |
| 2016 | Zulu | 12th |
| 2015 | Carpe Diem | Won |
| 2014 | Gala Award | 6th |
| 2014 | Vinceremos | 14th |
| 2013 | Palace Malice | 2nd |
| 2013 | Charming Kitten | 3rd |
| 2012 | Heavy Breathing | 7th |
| 2011 | Queen'splatekitten | 7th |
| 2011 | Praetereo | 11th |
| 2011 | Sensational Sam | 12th |
| 2010 | Interactif | 4th |
| 2010 | Aikenite | 8th |
| 2009 | Join in the Dance | 5th |
| 2008 | Monba | Won |
| 2008 | Cowboy Cal | 2nd |
| 2006 | Bluegrass Cat | 4th |
| 2005 | Bandini | Won |
| 2004 | Limehouse | 3rd |
| 2003 | Lion Tamer | 6th |
| 2001 | Invisible Ink | 4th |
| 2000 | More Than Ready | 2nd |
| 1998 | Ian's Thunder | 4th |
At Keeneland
All-time leading trainer by stakes wins (72) and fourth by wins (279).
Leading trainer five times (Spring 2005, 2008 and 2015; Fall 2014 [tie] and 2018).
Surpassed former boss D. Wayne Lukas in number of Keeneland stakes victories during the 2017 Spring Meet when he won the Maker's 46 Mile (G1) with American Patriot. Also won the Adena Springs Beaumont (G3) with Sweet Loretta and Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare (G3) with Unbridled Mo.
Five-time winner of the Juddmonte Spinster (G1): Malathaat (2022), Got Lucky (2015), In Lingerie (2012), Panty Raid (2007) and Valiance (2020).
Five-time winner of the Coolmore Lexington (G2): Winning Cause (2013), Exhi (2010), Advice (2009), Behindatthebar (2008) and Coin Silver (2005).
Four-time winner of Toyota Blue Grass (G1): Tapit Trice (2023), Carpe Diem (2015), Monba (2008) and Bandini (2005).
Four-time winner of the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1): Locked (2023), Forte (2022), Carpe Diem (2014) and We Miss Artie (2013).
Three-time winner of the Central Bank Ashland (G1): Leslie's Rose (2024), Nest (2022) and Malathaat (2021).
Won first Keeneland race during the 1996 Fall Meet.
First Keeneland stakes win was the 1996 Valley View with Turkappeal.
Career
2021 inductee into the Racing Hall of Fame.
Record eight Eclipse Awards winner as North America's outstanding trainer: 2004-2007, 2010, 2013-2014, 2022.
Triple Crown wins (5): Kentucky Derby with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017); Belmont with filly Rags to Riches (2007), Palace Malice (2013) and Tapwrit (2017).
Breeders’ Cup wins (15): 2004 Distaff with Ashado and Sprint with Speightstown; 2007 Turf with English Channel; 2010 Juvenile with Uncle Mo, Juvenile Fillies Turf with More Than Real and Juvenile Turf with Pluck; 2012 Juvenile with Shanghai Bobby; 2015 Dirt Mile with Liam's Map and Distaff with Stopchargingmaria; 2018 Juvenile Turf Sprint with Bulletin; 2019 Classic with Vino Rosso; 2021 Dirt Mile with Life Is Good; 2022 Juvenile with Forte and Distaff with Malathaat; 2023 Juvenile with Locked.
Became Thoroughbred racing’s all-time leading trainer by earnings when Jack Milton won the $300,000 Poker (G3) at Belmont on May 26, 2014. The win, worth $180,000, pushed Pletcher’s career earnings to $268.5 million to surpass those of his mentor, D. Wayne Lukas.
North American career earnings exceed $497 million with 5,787 wins through Dec. 17, 2024.
Recorded his 5,000th career victory on Nov. 6, 2020, when Microsecond won the seventh race at Aqueduct.
North America’s leading trainer by earnings 10 times (2004-2007, 2010-2015).
Click here for his Equibase record.
Background
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.”
In December 2024, the University of Arizona named Pletcher its Alumnus of the Year.