Birth Date: Monday, June 26, 1967
Birth Place: Dallas, Texas

Career: Won his unprecedented eighth consecutive training title at Gulfstream in 2011. Graded stakes winners at Gulfstream included multiple meet winners R. Heat Lightning and Awesome Maria, Travelin Man and Hilda’s Passion. He also saddled juvenile champion Uncle Mo to victory in the Timely Writer. Pletcher saddled Stay Thirsty, who finished seventh in the Florida Derby, to victories in the Travers (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2) and was leading trainer in wins and money won at Saratoga. Won his first Kentucky Derby in 2010 with Super Saver and three Breeders’ Cup races, including the Juvenile with undefeated champion Uncle Mo...Won 2010 Fountain of Youth with Eskendereya...He set records for stakes wins, graded-stakes wins and yearly earnings in 2006, surpassing his mentor D. Wayne Lukas in the stakes categories. The victory by the filly Rags to Riches in the 2007 Belmont Stakes gave him his first win in a Triple Crown race. He had lost with his previous 28 Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont starters. He also won the 2007 Florida Derby with Scat Daddy ... He has five career wins in the Hutcheson Stakes ... Pletcher holds the record for wins at Saratoga, saddling 35 winners in both 2003 and 2004. He has won a total of 18 trainer’s titles in the past eight years at New York tracks.  Other: Son of veteran trainer J.J. Pletcher grew up around game in the Midwest ... Father and mother, Joan, now operate Payton Training Center near Ocala ... 1989 graduate of the University of Arizona with degree in Animal Science ... Spent six years as assistant to Wayne Lukas before going on his own just nine years ago ... First career winner came at Gulfstream on Jan. 26, 1996, with Majestic Number.