Pletcher Stakes Claim to Another Record

Another week, another milestone for Todd Pletcher.

Seven days after setting a single-season earnings record, Pletcher, perennially the country’s leading trainer, established another standard when 5-2 second choice Scat Daddy won the $400,000 Champagne at Belmont Park.

The victory by the 2-year-old Johannesburg colt in the Grade I stakes race was the 93rd stakes win of the year for Pletcher, eclipsing the previous record of 92 set by Wayne Lukas, Pletcher’s former boss, in 1987.

“It’s a tremendous accomplishment for me and my staff,” Pletcher said. “It’s a little bittersweet because I hold all of Wayne’s accomplishments in highest regard. To be honest, I didn’t think this was an attainable record. We’ve had one of those remarkable years where everything has been clicking and the horses have been running well. It has been a lot of fun.”

The Champagne victory was the third in four starts for Scat Daddy, but he was fortunate to beat Nobiz Like Shobiz, the 7-5 favorite who lost by three-quarters of a length despite a troubled start. The final time for the mile was 1:36.97.

Owned by Michael Tabor and James Scatuorchio, Scat Daddy will head to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs; he is one of three -- along with King Of The Roxy and Circular Quay -- that Pletcher will run in the race.

The female version of the Champagne, the $400,000 Frizette, was an ugly affair won by 12-1 shot Sutro, an Arlington shipper. She prevailed by 1 3/4 lengths in an extremely slow 1:40.22 for the mile.

The Meadowlake filly, who is owned by breeder Oak Crest Farm, is headed for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, according to trainer Michael Stidham. Allude, the 2-1 favorite, finished sixth.

Vacare, another female who had been racing at Arlington, was far more impressive in her first venture outside Illinois, winning the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The win was the fourth in as many starts for the 3-year-old Lear Fan filly, who is owned by breeder Lothenbach Stables Inc. and trained by Chris Block. Carlos Marquez Jr. rode Vacare, a 6-1 shot who beat Mauralakana and nine others.

A race earlier, Gorella, the 4-5 favorite, edged 3-1 second choice Karen’s Caper by a nose to win the $400,000 First Lady Stakes. It was the third consecutive graded stakes victory for the 4-year-old French-bred, who will make her next appearance in either the Breeders’ Cup Mile or the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

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Dark Islander, the 3-1 third choice, made a successful U.S. debut, easily beating Obrigado, favored A.P. Warrior and three others in the $150,000 Oak Tree Derby at Santa Anita.

Jose Valdivia Jr. rode the 3-year-old Singspiel colt for owner Donald Kerr and trainer John Hills. It was the fourth win in 11 starts for Dark Islander, who ran the 1 1/8 miles on turf in the Grade II in 1:46.21.

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In two other significant races, Malibu Mint, the 7-2 second choice, rallied to take the $300,000 Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland, a Grade III in which 9-10 favorite Behaving Badly was fourth, and Showing Up, the 2-5 choice, rolled to an easy win in the $290,000 Jamaica Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Belmont Park.

After the 3 1/2 -length win, Barclay Tagg, Showing Up’s trainer, indicated the talented 3-year-old will make his next start in the $500,000 Hollywood Derby on Nov. 26 at Hollywood Park.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com