ELMONT, N.Y. – Country Grammer, who won the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup for trainer Bob Baffert last month at Santa Anita, has been transferred by WinStar Farm to trainer Todd Pletcher and the horse is under consideration for a start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Suburban Stakes on July 3 at Belmont Park. Should Country Grammer not run in the Suburban, there is the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney on Aug. 7 at Saratoga. WinStar won last year’s Whitney with the Baffert-trained Improbable, who went on to be voted the Eclipse Award for top older male. The New York Racing Association announced in May that it was temporarily barring Baffert from stabling or racing at its three racetracks – Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga – in the wake of a significant number of positive medication tests incurred by Baffert over the last year-plus, culminating with Medina Spirit’s positive for an overage of the corticosteroid betamethasone after finishing first in the Kentucky Derby. Baffert last week filed suit in court against the NYRA for banning him without due process. Baffert is permitted to race at Del Mar, which on Aug. 21 hosts the Grade 1, $750,000 Pacific Classic, a 1 1/4-mile race that Country Grammer would fit well in. Del Mar also has the Grade 3, $250,000 San Diego, a 1 1/16-mile prep on July 17. “With the ban on Bob in Kentucky and New York right now, our opportunities are limited to the Pacific Classic in late August,” Walden wrote in a text. “With Improbable last year, we came east and ran in the Whitney which helped him win an Eclipse Award. We are continuing to evaluate the situation with Bob and will adjust as we need to.” :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports On Monday, Country Grammer worked a half-mile in 49.05 seconds over the Belmont Park training track. Country Grammer went in company with the recent 3-year-old maiden winner Mahaamel, who is under consideration for the Grade 3, $250,000 Dwyer Stakes on July 5. Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Vesce clocked the pair galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27.40. “I thought he went very well, he seemed to be traveling smoothly and did it in hand, galloped out nicely,” Pletcher said of Country Grammer. Country Grammer began his career in New York for owner Paul Pompa Jr. and trainer Chad Brown. Last July, he won the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Saratoga before finishing fifth in the Travers. Sidelined after that, Country Grammer became part of Pompa’s dispersal sale in January at Keeneland following his death in October. WinStar purchased the horse for $110,000. Should Country Grammer run in the Suburban, that could give Pletcher three starters in the race. He is already planning to run the undefeated Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Happy Saver and potentially the stakes winner Moretti. Meanwhile, Pletcher said Mahaamel will be considered for the Dwyer pending what decision is made on where to run Following Sea, a 3-year-old formerly trained by Baffert and owned by Spendthrift Farm but moved to Pletcher. Following Sea, an impressive allowance winner here June 3, is under consideration for the Dwyer or the Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth. Pletcher said he does not want to run Mahaamel and Following Sea against each other in the Dwyer. Mahaamel won a seven-furlong maiden race by 3 1/4 lengths on June 4 at Belmont, earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.