Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's morning-line favorite Forte (Violence) was scratched from the GI Kentucky Derby on Saturday at 9 a.m. ET by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission state veterinarian, Churchill Downs said in a press release Saturday.
After Forte jogged on the track this morning, a lengthy discussion ensued with state veterinarians, co-owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher. Repole said that they were concerned about a bruised right front foot that was sustained during training on Wednesday. Upon further examination of the foot in question, the Derby favorite was ruled out of the race.
“This isn't about me,” Repole told FDTV's Caton Bredar. “This is part of racing and it's the cruel part. Wednesday he developed a bruise, but bruises can heal in 24 hours or bruises can heal in a week. Watching Todd [Pletcher] and his staff handle this with tremendous grace, we notified the vets, we did X-rays, we brought in Dr. [Steve] Allday, Dr. [Larry] Bramlage, Dr. [John E.] Johnson, the state vets came in and they watched him every single day. They appreciated the collaboration. You can only be a 3-year-old colt on the first Saturday in May one time in your life. I feel bad for the horse.”
Pletcher said that the problem with the foot had become apparent Wednesday.
“We noticed a little something on Wednesday,” he told Brittany Eurton on NBC. “We have made a lot of progress. At the end of the day, after training him this morning, the regulatory vets didn't feel like he had gotten to the point where they were comfortable. It's a tough, tough break. I feel horrible for Mike (Repole) and Vinnie (Viola) and their families and their teams.”
Eurton asked him if he agreed with the veterinarians' decision.
“They acknowledged that he had made improvement this week,” he said. “They just didn't feel like he was 100 percent. It's a tough call. Obviously, we're in an environment where scrutiny is super high. I'm not sure in some years it would have been an issue, but this year it was.” Pletcher was referring to the four fatalities suffered at Churchill Downs leading up to the Derby, including two from trainer Saffie Joseph's barn which resulted in the scratch of his entrant, Lord Miles (Curlin). “I probably jinxed myself the other day. I said everything had gone perfectly up to this point and everything that we laid out for him all winter and spring fell into place until Wednesday.”
Pletcher said Forte's next start was up in the air, but that the Preakness S. was under consideration.
“It will be day-to-day,” he said. “He galloped this morning, I think most people who saw him would say he looked pretty good. I'd say the Preakness is a possibility. First things first, we'll make sure the foot is 100% and if we comfortable breezing him for the Preakness, that is a possibility.”
Forte is the fifth horse to scratch from Saturday's race, joining Practical Move (Practical Joke), Lord Miles, Continaur (Jpn) (Drefong) and Skinner (Curlin). The last time five horses were scratched from the Kentucky Derby was 1936 when 19 horses entered the race and 14 ran.
Following the scratch, it was announced that Irad Ortiz, Jr., who was scheduled to ride Forte, would accept the mount aboard Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief).
Program numbers for Saturday's Kentucky Derby, which has a post time of 6:57 p.m. ET, remain unchanged but post positions are moved without altering the order of the starters. The 18-horse lineup will break from posts 1-18 in the 20-stall Kentucky Derby starting gate. Posts 19 and 20 will be empty.
Any Pick 4, Pick 5 and Pick 6 wagers including the Kentucky Derby that were placed prior to the scratch reverted to the post- time favorite. Bets on the two-day Oaks/Derby Double and the Oaks/Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic/Derby Pick 3 received consolation payouts. All other advance wagers on Forte–not including the Kentucky Derby Future Wager–were to be refunded.
Repole Stables Tweeted a photo of Mike Repole giving Forte a kiss after the scratch was announced | courtesy Repole Stables
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.@CBredar talks with Mike Repole about the heartbreaking scratch of FORTE. pic.twitter.com/R2xpWDM3P3
— TVG (@TVG) May 6, 2023
BREAKING: Todd Pletcher and Mike Repole being told by the state racing commission vet that Derby favorite Forte has been scratched. The Derby field is now down to 18. pic.twitter.com/wMfAvTg7uV
— Will Clark (@WClark_TV) May 6, 2023
Forte takes a jog for the state vet as his Derby fate remains in limbo. pic.twitter.com/7H9IfZP6bY
— Will Clark (@WClark_TV) May 6, 2023
Todd Pletcher and Mike Repole meet with the state racing commission vet as a decision looms on Forte's Derby status. pic.twitter.com/UoINtUs8zV
— Will Clark (@WClark_TV) May 6, 2023
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