Todd Pletcher has never trained a Horse of the Year. It is hard to believe. He is arguably the best trainer of all time. Could 2025 be the year that changes? I say yes! He has four older males returning in 2025 that could be any kind.

FIERCENESS

Fierceness beats Thorpedo Anna at Travers Stakes

He was the two-year-old champion of 2023. He came back to make a strong case for the 3-year-old champion of 2024. He comes back next year to be the Horse of the Year. He looks like the real deal. I give him every chance to get the job done. The only question is how much this year took out of him. If he's still ready to run, he's got what it takes.

LOCKED

Locked winning the Cigar Mile

This weekend, Locked returned and won the prestigious Cigar Mile. Locked was one of the bigger 2-year-olds of his crop. He was sidelined for the Triple Crown races but looks ready to roll in 2025. Fingers crossed that we see him reach his full potential.

BORN NOBLE

Born Noble breaking his maiden

This horse could be any kind. Behind the scenes, the Pletcher barn liked this horse more than Fierceness. Videos showed Born Noble outworking the champion. His first start was electric. Born Noble looked like a Derby winner. He took what looked like a bad step in his second start and was gone from the worktab. He is now back to work and seemingly aiming at a 2025 campaign. Sometimes horses get injured and don't return the same. However, Born Noble fired three bullets in a row down at Palm Meadows, so who knows? If the Born Noble I heard rumors of is back in form, he could be a monster in 2025.

MINDFRAME

Mindframe winning an allowance race at Churchill Downs.

This horse made a strong case for a 3-year-old champion in the middle of the year. After breaking his maiden in March, Mindframe won an allowance race in May and went straight into the Belmont Stakes. It was a bold move. He looked to have the race put away in the stretch but drifted out under the whip and lost 4 or 5 lengths to Dornoch. By the time he corrected and put in a rally, he ran out of ground. He lost by a 1/2 length in a tremendous effort. He then lost the Haskell to Dornoch in another gutty effort. He was sidelined with bone bruising after. He could be a star if he comes back and rounds into form.

CONCLUSION
The older male division for 2025 is the deepest we have seen in years. Pletcher holds a firm hand. The last time I recall Pletcher having a talented older male horse in his stable, he maximized the opportunity. The horse was Vino Rosso. He was voted Champion Older Dirt Male. Who will win Horse of the Year in 2025? Maybe you should do what the proverb says and "Go with Tod."