Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte (Violence) was no secret to the betting public as the heavy 1-5 favorite for the Friday lid-lifted at Belmont Park and ran away from his overmatched rivals down the lane to earn 'TDN Rising Star' accolades.
The $80,000 Keeneland November weanling turned $110,000 Keeneland September acquisition had registered three works since shipping up from trainer Todd Pletcher's South Florida base at Palm Beach Downs and signaled his readiness with a best-of-24 half-mile from the gate that was timed in :48 flat May 20, just outworking Summonyourcourage (Practical Joke), who was third when making his first career appearance at Churchill Friday afternoon.
Debuting in the Repole blue-and-orange, Forte was not the quickest away and was under a hustling ride from third behind a :22.43 opening quarter. Pulled out three wide to deliver his challenge as they neared the stretch, the prohibitive chalk engaged pacesetting Wasabi Boy (Lord Nelson x Gas Station Sushi) a furlong and a half from home, got a few left-handed reminders from Irad Ortiz, Jr. and was in hand for the final sixteenth of a mile. The winning margin was 7 3/4 lengths, while Wasabi Boy was over eight lengths ahead of the rest of the field.
Forte is the first foal from his dam, herself a four-time stakes winner and a half-sister to a pair of stakes horses. Queen Caroline is also the dam of a yearling colt by Uncle Mo and is was most recently bred to Authentic. The colt's third dam is a half-sister to Contrive (Storm Cat), the dam of champion 2-year-old filly Folklore (Tiznow). This is also the family of GSW Tizahit (Tiznow), GSP Divided Attention (A.P. Indy), GSP Iqbaal (Medaglia d'Oro) and Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
1st-Belmont, $87,300, Msw, 5-27, 2yo, 5f, :58.21, ft, 7 3/4 lengths.
FORTE, c, 2, by Violence
1st Dam: Queen Caroline (MSW, $401,608), by Blame
2nd Dam: Queens Plaza, by Forestry
3rd Dam: Kew Garden, by Seattle Slew
Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
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