Advice Well Heeded

by Kim Thomas


If you look at his pedigree, Advice (trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by WinStar Farm) does not seem born to run the long distance required to win the Kentucky Derby.

Photo of Advice
courtesy of Photos by Z


Advice is out of Word O’ Wisdom, who placed once in three starts. Her sire was graded stakes winner, Hennessy. As a son of Chapel Royal, he is not a descendant of Raise a Native, Northern Dancer or Bold Ruler. The male-line descendants of those great sires have dominated the Kentucky Derby for much of the past four decades, however that one fact may serve Advice well at the end of Derby day. Why not?

Advice's ability to maneuver and surge ahead will serve him well this Saturday, as the Todd Pletcher-trained horse will compete in the Kentucky Derby. Also, Advice is the only Pletcher entry (he also will be running Dunkirk and Join in the Dance) with a graded stakes win. That victory came a few weeks ago at Keeneland in the Grade II Lexington Stakes when Advice came from behind at the head of the stretch to win by a length over Conservative with favorite Square Eddie in third.

Pletcher heretofore has run 21 horses in the Derby and is still looking for his first win. Perhaps Advice will be able to weave his way through the crowd for a victory and Pletcher's Derby losing streak will end in celebration with a blanket of roses in the winner's circle!

pray for peace, y'all,
Kimmy