Pletcher holds strong hand with Jouster and Con Lima in Wonder Again
At 0h02, on June 1, 2021 • By NEWSROOM
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle a formidable pair of contenders in Jouster and Con Lima in Thursday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again, a nine-furlong inner turf test for sophomore fillies on Opening Day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
The festival runs from Thursday through Saturday, June 5, culminating with the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.
Thursday’s nine-race card, which offers a 3:05 p.m. Eastern first post, features a trio of stakes offerings, including the Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental, a seven-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares; and the $150,000 Astoria, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies on Big Sandy. The Wonder Again will go as Race 8 at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
While both Pletcher-trained fillies are good from gate, the veteran conditioner said he expects Jouster to be more forwardly placed.
“I think Jouster is naturally quicker and Con Lima has shown that she can sit just off the pace,” Pletcher said.
Starlight Racing’s Jouster, a Noble Mission bay, will make her first appearance since a 1 1/2-length gate-to-wire score over Wonder Again-rivals Gift List and Plum Ali in the one-mile Grade 2 Appalachian on April 3 over a Keeneland turf course rated good.
A $360,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Jouster is out of the Street Cry mare Playtime, who is a daughter of champion 2-year-old filly Storm Flag Flying and granddaughter of multiple Grade I-winner My Flag from the family of Champion Older Mare Personal Ensign.
Jouster has won three of her last four starts with the lone loss coming by a nose to Domain Expertise in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Florida Oaks on March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs.
Con Lima, who has made her last seven starts at Gulfstream Park, made the grade via the disqualification of Spanish Loveaffair in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride, a 1 1/16-mile turf test on February 27. She followed that effort with a fourth in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks over dirt on March 27 ahead of a dominant four-length score last out in the 1 1/16-mile Honey Ryder over good turf.
Pletcher said the versatile filly is coming into the race in fine fettle.
“She trains and runs consistently well,” said Pletcher. “She’s better on the turf, but handles dirt OK, also. We’ll see how she handles the mile and an eighth and how it all plays out for her.”
Luis Saez will pilot Jouster from post 5, while Flavien Prat has the call aboard Con Lima from post 2.
