All week trainer Todd Pletcher hinted that Any Given Saturday could be sitting on a big race. On Aug. 5 in the $1-million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, the dark bay 3-year-old colt showed that Pletcher was not bluffing.

Under a confident ride from Garrett Gomez, Any Given Saturday moved past pace-setting Cable Boy, then caught Hard Spun in mid-stretch and pulled away for a decisive four-and-a-half-length victory, in the process putting himself right in the mix for the Breeders’ Cup Classic-Presented by Dodge (gr. I), to be held later this year in Oceanport, N.J.

Earlier in the week Pletcher, who teamed up with Gomez to take the Matchmaker Stakes (gr. III) with Roshani one race prior, said that Any Given Saturday had been training beautifully and may be close to peaking. (via Hard Spun News)