Those who know Todd Pletcher say he was destined for horse racing greatness. Now, he’s headed to the sport’s Hall of Fame. BY BRAD ROGERS
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n Aug. 6, Todd Pletcher will be inducted into horse racing’s Hall of Fame of the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga, New York. There will be no debate over whether it is deserved — Pletcher has the victories, the records, the awards and the career earnings to validate his first-ballot selection. But for Pletcher, being named to the Hall of Fame is more than an honor earned from a life of accomplishment on the track. It is a date with destiny.
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| AUG 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM
You see, Pletcher, in his own words, was “exposed to horse racing from birth.” By age 7 he was a hot walker for his father, J.J. Pletcher, a respected quarter horse and thoroughbred trainer himself. Before he even reached adolescence, Todd told his mother he wanted to be a horse trainer when he grew up. Today, he has won more prize money than any trainer in history and, arguably, is the face of American horse racing. “Training horses is all I ever wanted to do,” Pletcher said after learning he was being
Photo by Mark Lennihan
A Date with Destiny inducted to the Hall of Fame. “I remember being 11 or 12 and telling my mother I wanted to train, and she said it was wonderful. From that point on, with her endorsement, I never thought of doing anything else.” Now 54, the list of honors and records Pletcher has racked up is remarkable. Among them: • A record seven Eclipse Awards as outstanding trainer, 2004-2007, 2010, 2013-14. • Five Triple Crown wins, including
