Forte gives Pletcher strong shot at ninth Sanford Stakes win

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Todd Pletcher has won the Grade 3 Sanford a record eight times, including a year ago when Wit exploded to an eye-catching, eight-length victory in the first of three graded stakes for 2-year-olds run at Saratoga.

The Hall of Fame trainer appears to have a very good chance of adding to that already impressive mark when sending out likely favorite Forte and his undefeated stablemate Major Dude in the Grade 3 fixture that lured a full field of a dozen to go six furlongs here Saturday for a $175,000 purse.

Like Wit a year ago, Forte enters the Sanford off a very popular and one-sided maiden win at Belmont Park. The son of Violence drew off to a 7 3/4-length victory, despite racing a bit greenly when lugging in some while moving clear at midstretch before being geared down by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. during the latter stages of the race. Forte earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, the highest in the Sanford field.

“I was very pleased with his debut,” Pletcher said. “He always trained professionally, like a nice horse, and I like the fact he got a bit of an education in his debut.”

Major Dude also was well backed making his debut at Monmouth Park, rallying from midpack to a 3 3/4-length victory going five furlongs while receiving a more modest 59 Beyer for the performance.

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“I thought he ran professionally, too. He kind of split horses and had to push his way through a little bit,” Pletcher said.

Like Forte, Andiamo a Firenze also captured his debut very impressively at Belmont, leading throughout to register a popular four-length triumph going 5 1/2 furlongs while also appearing capable of going faster if not being eased through the latter stages by Ortiz. Andiamo a Firenze will try to carry on the legacy of his Grade 1-winning, multi-millionaire brother Firenze Fire, who tipped his hand early by winning the 2017 Sanford.

“He didn’t surprise us the first time, but we’ll see what kind of horse he is on Saturday,” trainer Kelly Breen said. “This will be a good test for him. It’s a big field, and I think the post position is good for us being outside. He’s done everything for us in the morning, worked behind horses, taken dirt, whatever he needed to do, he’s done it.”

With Irad Ortiz Jr. taking the call on Forte, Breen will turn the reins over to Jose Ortiz aboard Andiamo a Firenze on Saturday.

Forte and Andiamo a Firenze are two of nine horses in the Sanford lineup coming into the race with perfect records, with seven others also having captured their debuts at various venues around the country including Boppy O at Gulfstream Park, Curly Jack and Mo Strike at Churchill Downs, Great Navigator at Monmouth, and Puttheblameonme at Parx.

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Boppy O is certainly bred for speed, being a half to multiple Grade 1-placed sprinter Pappacap, although he rallied from off the place to a 1 1/2-length triumph in his lone start two months earlier at Gulfstream Park.

Curly Jack figures to help assure an honest pace, having led at every call en route to a four-length debut win June 2 at Churchill going 5 1/2 furlongs. Mo Strike is another Churchill graduate who also was well bet and forwardly placed throughout in his lone start, holding gamely to register a three-quarter-length decision under the Twin Spires on June 19.