St. Elias Stables

It wasn't that Deterministic (Liam's Map) blew away the field in Saturday's fifth race at Saratoga, enroute to earning 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The $625,000 Keeneland September purchase won by just a half-length over 24-1 shot Hurricane Nelson (Khozan). But considering who he beat and how he did it, Deterministic very well may have a bright future. "There's so much promise when you win a race like this," said co-owner and NYRA Board member Steven Duncker. "This was a war out there today. Everybody liked their horses and they ran...

When Todd Pletcher entered Miz Sense (Street Sense) in Sunday's first race at Saratoga, a maiden special weight race carded for a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf, he wasn't so much thinking grass. He wanted to run the Kentucky-bred in a route race, which they don't card during the Saratoga meet for 2-year-olds on the dirt. So when the race was washed off the turf course, Pletcher never hesitated to go ahead and run her in a race in which there were six scratches. It proved to be the right move....

2nd-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 7-14, 3yo/up, 1 1/8m, 1:49.71, gd, 6 3/4 lengths. DREAMLIKE (c, 3, Gun Runner--Time to Tap, by Tapit) began his career Feb. 11 in Hallendale, where he finished second in a mile maiden contest and in a 1 1/16-mile Mar. 11 main track race before shipping north Apr. 8 to Aqueduct to try his hand in the GII Wood Memorial S. Third in that Derby-qualifier with a blanket finish separating him from winner GSW Lord Miles (Curlin) and runner-up GSW Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), he was...

Trainer Todd Pletcher has confirmed Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's MGISW Forte (Violence) for the GII Jim Dandy S. July 29 at Saratoga Race Course. The 3-year-old colt will use the race as a prep for the GI Travers S. Aug. 26, which the Hall of Famer won with Flower Alley [2005] and Stay Thirsty [2011]. "It was a tough call," said Pletcher. "We just felt like shipping up here, getting him used to the track, two Travers winners we previously had have done that." Pletcher added that Forte...

5th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 7-9, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:05.64, ft, 3 lengths. HAUL (c, 2, Army Mule--Western Kitty, by Western Fame), installed the 6-5 choice first up for trainer Todd Pletcher, was sent in pursuit of Ridgewood Runner (Klimt), who three down an opening quarter in :22.85. Pulling on even terms with the pacesetter passing the quarter pole, the bay forged to a clear advantage and proved best late to hold Ridgewood Runner safe by three lengths. Devil's Playground (Into Mischief) was a distant third. The victory marked the third win...

Reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) resumed his work schedule on Friday morning over the Belmont Park training track by traversing a half-mile in 50.40 for trainer Todd Pletcher. With exercise rider Hector Ramos aboard, Forte worked following the 9:30 a.m. renovation break and breezed in company with MGSW Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro), who is slated to run in next Friday's GIII Manila S. at Belmont. The move was Forte's first since finishing second in the GI Belmont S. "We were just looking for an easy...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) returned to training Friday morning for his last local work before shipping to Louisville to begin final preparations for the GI Kentucky Derby. Working in company with Bright Future, a 4-year-old son of Curlin, the Derby favorite went a half-mile in :50.28 at Palm Beach Downs for trainer Todd Pletcher, according to Mike Welsch of DRF. "With Forte we were just looking for a nice, easy first work back. He ran in the Florida Derby 13 days ago and...

'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence)'s dominant sophomore debut in Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream is understandably going to generate glowing headlines because of his kingpin status as the comebacking divisional champion. But that sharp win shouldn't overshadow the thoroughly convincing GII San Felipe S. score by Practical Move (Practical Joke) at Santa Anita, which on its own terms was emphatic enough to merit a significant reshuffling of the deck of GI Kentucky Derby contenders. The Fountain of Youth S. has evolved into somewhat of a "trap" race...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte (Violence) completed his preparation for his 2023 debut in next Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.99 Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. "Last week was the work we wanted to make sure that we were on target," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "We got a good strong work into him. We got a good work today, but after last week, we weren't looking for him to do too much. We're right on schedule and think...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 2:10p.m. ET The powerhouse partnership of Repole and St Elias Stables will send out $450,000 FTKOCT purchase SASSINESS (Uncle Mo) in this turf maiden. A half to Canadian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old colt Up With the Birds (Stormy Atlantic) as well as 9-time winner, SW Speightsong (Speightstown), the filly also claims three other winning half-siblings. This is the female line of Canadian champion older mare, GISW Wilderness Song (Wild Again), whose own half-sister Sound the...

Fasig-Tipton, which hosted the opening event of the season with its July Selected Yearlings Sale, will bring the curtain down on the yearlings auction season with its four-day Kentucky October Yearlings Sale which begins Monday at the company's Newtown Paddocks. The sale continues through Thursday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m. The 2021 October sale was a barnburner, setting new records for gross, average and median, and consignors are hoping this year's edition continues a string of strong results this season. "The market has been very strong throughout the...

6th-Belmont The Big A, $95,000, Msw, 10-22, 2yo, 7f, 1:25.64, ft, 4 1/4 lengths. RUDDER'S MEN (c, 2, Battalion Runner--Unblemished, by Speightstown) was easily the most popular choice at 1-2 for his debut run after working a bullet four furlongs from the gate in :46 2/5 (1/187) Oct. 7. Campaigned by the same connections as his freshman sire (by Unbridled's Song), Rudder's Men hustled to the front shortly after the break and settled nicely a path off the rail through a sharp opening quarter in :22.53. Kept under wraps until...