2023 Kentucky Derby Clocker Report: Pletcher works Forte, Tapit Trice

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Friday, April 21
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 68
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE Ky. – After pretty much dodging the unprecedented heavy rains that inundated South Florida a week earlier to get in Forte’s previous work on schedule, trainer Todd Pletcher found himself watching the weather reports closely again this week in Louisville, hoping to be able to stay on course with the Derby favorite’s first local breeze penciled in for Friday at Churchill Downs.

Luckily for Pletcher, Mother Nature cooperated again. The rain that had been forecast for the local area Friday morning held off long enough for both Forte and his highly regarded stablemate Tapit Trice to get in their penultimate Derby works as planned.

Forte and Tapit Trice were two of six potential Derby starters to work within about a five-minute span immediately after the first renovation break Friday, along with the Brad Cox quartet of Hit Show, Verifying, Angel of Empire, and Jace’s Road, the latter still in need of some help to crack the 20-horse Kentucky Derby lineup.

After breezing an easy, maintenance-like half-mile just two weeks removed from his gutsy Florida Derby victory a week ago at Palm Beach Downs, Forte returned alongside the same workmate, Bright Future, to go a slightly more serious five furlongs Friday.

With his regular jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, Forte broke about a half-length behind his partner before being eased back a couple of lengths to take some dirt and get in a little schooling on the turn. Forte remained two lengths in arrears turning into the stretch after posting a leisurely 38.31 opening three-furlong split before quickly picking up the pace without any need of encouragement from his rider. He completed five panels under a strong hold outside his pressured mate in 1:01.89 before being nudged a tad to gallop out with excellent energy with three-quarters in 1:14.16, up seven-eighths in 1:26.91. The work likely put to rest any notion the reigning 2-year-old champion has regressed coming out of his hard-fought effort in the Florida Derby.

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Like Forte a week ago, it was Tapit Trice who was pretty much in maintenance mode today exiting his game victory less than two weeks earlier in the Blue Grass. Going in company with Equivoque, Tapit Trice cruised during the early stages before getting a little more involved down the lane, looking very sharp and striding out nicely while completing an easy half-mile in 48.91, shading 36 for the final three-eighths. He continued into and around the clubhouse turn with plenty of interest, going five furlongs in 1:01.38, up three-quarters in 1:14.02.

Cox worked his Derby foursome in pairs. Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire and Jace’s Road turned in the stiffer move, completing six furlongs from the five-furlong marker in 1:13.68, before continuing out on even terms in 1:26.50. Florent Geroux was aboard Jace’s Road, who worked nearest the rail, with Angel of Empire in blinkers, equipment he has not worn in any of his six career starts.

Hit Show and Verifying, both less than two weeks removed from their most recent starts, went a little easier, breezing five furlongs from the half in 1:01.01, with the latter holding a one-length edge under jockey Tyler Gaffalione outside his mate while galloping out six panels in 1:14.22.

Other Derby horses spotted on the track this morning included Disarm, who clearly wanted to do more than his rider would allow; Fountain of Youth runner-up Rocket Can; Cyclone Mischief, who like Jace’s Road still needs help to compete in the race; and Japanese contender Derma Sotogake, who came on the track shortly after the break at 7:30 and did not exit until 8:47 a.m., a training session that concluded with a lengthy schooling alongside a pony in the one-mile chute.

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At Gulfstream Park, Lord Miles, who nosed out Hit Show to register a shocking victory in the Wood, breezed an easy half-mile in 47.20 before galloping out in 1:00.60 with stablemate Apocalypso.

“He had a good work. He was just cruising,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said by phone later Friday morning. “It was a touch quicker than ideal, but he did it well in hand. He’ll come back again next Friday, weather permitting, for one final work here before shipping to Kentucky.”

Despite his big effort in the Wood, Joseph is the first to admit Lord Miles will be a decided longshot again in the Derby.

“Realistically he’s an outsider, a longshot, but he made a good jump in the Wood. Although he’s going to need another jump forward in the Derby. We’re not coming in thinking we’re going to win the Derby, we’re going in hoping to win Derby. Realistically, there’s no getting around that.”

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