Tour de Force has size, demeanor to be a good one

Tour de Force was one of six yearlings who sold for more than $1 million each at Keeneland’s yearling auction on Sept. 11, 2014. Watch a video of the horse in the sales ring, and you will see a poised and curious colt who is both gigantic and gorgeous.

Tour de Force’s great heft surely contributed to the fact that he made his career debut only in December, but the colt is a gentle giant, according to David Carroll, the Fair Grounds assistant to trainer Mark Casse, and a dream to ride.

“He’s unbelievable to sit on in the morning,” Carroll said. “He’s just so smooth and does everything right.”

Tour de Force finished second sprinting in the mud in his debut, then won a one-mile maiden grass race despite the fact that his connections feel certain that the colt, by Tiznow and out of Dream Supreme, prefers dirt. Tour de Force has since worked sharply, and his progress will be on full view in the featured eighth race Thursday at Fair Grounds, a first-level main-track allowance carded for one mile and 70 yards. Tour de Force is 5-2 on the morning line but figures to be bet lower.

Easily the best of the other $1 million-plus yearlings from that 2014 session at Keeneland is Mohaymen, who cost $2.2 million and was among the leading early-season 3-year-olds of 2016. The other four million-dollar yearlings have done much less.

Air Vice Marshal, a $2.2 million yearling trained by Aidan O’Brien, was held in high regard at 2, but he won only one of five races and last started in May. Taqueeth, who cost $1.1 million, made his U.S. debut earlier this month and was second in a first-level allowance at Gulfstream. Gioia Stella, a $1.5 million buy, has won one of five starts and ended her 2016 campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Winter Memories Stakes, while Adios Reality, a $1.2 million purchase, remains a four-race maiden.

Tour de Force has a long way to go to justify his cost, but he has the looks and the temperament, and the next step comes Thursday.