The Sad and Continuing Story of Todd And The Cheap Suits (Part II The Sad Hat Trick)

When we last left our hero, he was on the outside looking in.

The Derby trail had been one pothole after another and it appeared that mercifully the fans would be spared another year of watching him enter horses in the Derby who usually brought up the rear.

Ah but the racing gods are cruel and apparently they love to torture this crafty conditioner with his ridiculous dry cleaning bills and perfect hair, so the god Polytrakus granted Todd three wishes, their names were Monba, Cowboy Cal and Behindatthebar.

Meanwhile the lowly bettors, who fled the land of Polytrakus and took their dime superfecta money elsewhere, have to watch two more of Pletcher’s cheap suits cluttering up the stretch in Louisville.

Pletcher has a knack for winning but the flip side always seems to happen in the Derby with his horses finishing last or damn close to last on many occasions.

Should Cowboy Cal or Monba finish last, Pletcher can add two new records to his resume that he didn’t count on, he will be the first trainer in modern times to finish last in the Derby for three consecutive years and to finish last five times.

Even his mentor, Wayne Lukas who entered many horses that did not belong only managed two last place finishers, Deeds Not Words in 1997 and Total Departure in 1983 and three next to last finishes, Althea, Capote and Honor and Glory.