Forte shows he can handle two turns with game victory in Breeders' Futurity
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Forte validated his victory in the Hopeful Stakes and prevailed in his first attempt around two turns Saturday when outgaming Loggins in a thrilling 109th running of the Grade 1, $600,000 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.
Forte looped into contention midway through the final turn of the 1 1/16-mile race and appeared on his way to a convincing score, but the colt “started acting a little green, so I had to take a little hold of him,” said his rider, Irad Ortiz Jr.
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Meanwhile, Loggins, the 3-2 favorite in a full gate of 14 2-year-olds, was battling back along the rail. The pair matched strides to the wire, with Ortiz straightening up in the saddle for a brief moment with about 100 yards to go as the two were in very close contact. He then hand-rode Forte to the wire and they prevailed by a neck.
“The whole time I have to have a hold,” said Ortiz. “I have a horse inside of me. I had to take care of him and at the same time try to win the race.”
An objection by Florent Geroux, the rider of Loggins, against the winner for alleged deep-stretch interference was not allowed following a lengthy review by the Keeneland stewards.
Forte, trained by Todd Pletcher for Mike Repole of the Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable of Vinnie Viola, returned $10.86 as second choice after finishing in 1:44.74 over a fast track, good for a Beyer Speed Figure of 92. He earned the Win and You’re In berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, to be run here Nov. 4 at the same 1 1/16-mile distance.
Behind the top two, it was another 6 3/4 lengths back to 59-1 shot Red Route One in third. Instant Coffee was fourth and Newgate was fifth.
The Breeders’ Futurity was worth qualifying points toward the 2023 Kentucky Derby for the first five finishers on the new scale of 10-4-3-2-1.
Forte won the Grade 1 Hopeful going seven furlongs in the slop on Sept. 5 at Saratoga in his third start. Pletcher, who watched from New York before planning to be here Sunday, had said before the Breeders’ Futurity that he was optimistic the colt could get more distance, but “you don’t really know until they show you.”
Forte, a Kentucky-bred by Violence, showed everyone Saturday that he’ll be a major player in the Breeders’ Cup.
This was the third Breeders’ Futurity win for Pletcher, although the first two, We Miss Artie (2013) and Carpe Diem (2014), both won over the Polytrack formerly employed as the main racing surface here. It was another huge day for both Ortiz and Pletcher, as they also teamed to win the very next race here, the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile with the brilliant 3-year-old Annapolis.
Loggins is trained by Brad Cox. The defeat in a photo was the second straight in a Grade 1 race for 2-year-olds to start the fall meet at Keeneland for Cox. Chop Chop was second by a nose for Cox behind Wonder Wheel in the opening-day Alcibiades on Friday.
“A couple of tough beats, but that’s okay,” said Cox. “We’ll look forward to hopefully turning things around in the Breeders’ Cup.”
Early scratches from the Breeders’ Futurity were Confidence Game and Jin Tong, with Carmel Road drawing in off the also-eligible list and finishing 13th.
The $2 exacta (7-2) paid $32.16, the $1 trifecta (7-2-11) returned $570.14, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-2-11-5) was worth $282.78.
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