'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) launched a powerful move on the far turn, outbattled fellow 'Rising Star' and ultra-game pacesetter Loggins (Ghostzapper) and survived an objection in a thrilling renewal of Keeneland's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.
The last-out GI Hopeful S. winner, who was further flattered when third-place finisher and 'Rising Star' Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) resurfaced to take the GI Champagne S., sat a good trip in seventh in this first foray around two turns as runaway Churchill Downs debut winner and highly regarded 3-2 favorite Loggins was hounded on the inside through fractions of :22.94 and :46.36.
Forte, off at odds of 4-1, was shifted out four wide on the far turn and looked like he was on his way to a runaway victory with a sweeping blitz as they approached the short stretch. Loggins and jockey Florent Geroux, however, just kept on battling along the rail while Forte's rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. kept that foe in very tight quarters. After appearing to brush in deep stretch, Forte wanted it just a little bit more and fought his way to a well-earned neck victory. It was a long way back to longshot Red Route One (Gun Runner) in third. Geroux's claim of foul was disallowed by the stewards.
Forte, a runaway debut winner at Belmont May 27, was a disappointing fourth as the favorite in Saratoga's GIII Sanford S. July 16. He got back on track with a three-length tally at 6-1 in the slop in the seven-furlong Hopeful at the Spa Sept. 5.
“At the turn, he was still figuring it out,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “He's a young horse, and I had to start working really hard on him. He started doing it little by little, but by the time I got there and hit the lead he started acting a little green and laying in a little bit. I had to take a big hold of him the whole stretch. He didn't even let me ride him that well. The whole time I had to hold him and, that horse inside of me, take care of him at the same time as I win the race.”
Geroux added, “It was a good race. I got squeezed a little at the eighth pole. [Forte] came in a little bit on me and my horse was shifting, and I think it cost me the win.”
Pedigree Notes:
Forte, a $110,000 KEESEP yearling purchase, is one of six Grade I winners for Violence, who is also responsible for 39 stakes/14 graded winners. Both Forte and runner-up Loggins are out of mares by Blame. Winning owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, partners on GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner and young Spendthrift Farm stallion Vino Rosso (Curlin), teamed up on 31 yearlings for $12.84 million at last month's Keeneland September sale. Forte's dam Queen Caroline was purchased by Amy Moore of South Gate Farm for $170,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. The mare went on to win four stakes in Moore's colors before becoming one of the Virginia farm's first broodmares. Forte is the mare's first foal. She has a yearling colt by Uncle Mo, who brought $850,000 from Mayberry Farm at Keeneland September. She was bred to Not This Time for 2023. This is the extended female family of champion 2-year-old filly Folklore (Tiznow).
Saturday, Keeneland
CLAIBORNE BREEDERS' FUTURITY-GI, $600,000, Keeneland, 10-8, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.74, ft.
1–FORTE, 122, 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
'TDN Rising Star'. ($80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21
KEESEP). O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable; B-Southgate Farm
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $330,150. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-0-0, $555,150. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
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2–Loggins, 122, c, 2, Ghostzapper–Beyond Blame, by Blame.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. ($460,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-Spendthrift Farm LLC,
Steve Landers Racing LLC, Martin S. Schwartz, Michael Dubb,
Ten Strike Racing, Jim Bakke, Titletown Racing Stables, Kueber
Racing, LLC, Big Easy Racing LLC & Winners Win; B-Popatop,
LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $106,500.
3–Red Route One, 122, c, 2, Gun Runner–Red House, by Tapit.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $53,250.
Margins: NK, 6 3/4, HD. Odds: 4.43, 1.50, 59.79.
Also Ran: Instant Coffee, Newgate, Lost Ark, Two Phil's, Honed, Funtastic Again, Frosted Departure, Powerful, Bourbon Bash, Carmel Road, Good Heart. Scratched: Confidence Game, Jin Tong.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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