Forte Edges Loggins for Breeders' Futurity Score
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Photo: Rick Samuels
Forte (outside) wins the Breeders' Futurity over Loggins at Keeneland
In a paddock display worthy of Zenyatta before the Oct. 8 $600,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), the strapping Forte danced his way past the crowd before delivering a gallant neck victory and surviving a stewards inquiry in his final foray before the TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1).
The son of Violence 's saddling ring antics were of no concern to Todd Pletcher assistant Amelia Green.
"Todd warned me this morning that in Saratoga he was exactly like that" before the Hopeful Stakes (G1), Green said. "He didn't do anything bad you could just see he was on edge and ready to go."
Once the gates opened, however, the prancing colt turned his mind to business. Angled in towards the inside under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., Forte raced comfortably in seventh position behind a tightly bunched first flight of rivals led by Loggins .
The Brad Cox-trained Loggins, a $460,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale buy, was, like Forte, also making his two-turn debut in the Breeders' Futurity. The son of Ghostzapper turned in a dazzling performance at first asking three weeks before in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs.
The fractions were fast and furious early as the 14 juveniles wove and weaved their way around the Keeneland oval through a :22.94 opening quarter and :46.36 half-mile. Loggins continued to pick up the tempo into the final turn, opening up a one-length advantage as the charge hit the top of the lane with the six-furlongs raced in 1:11.63.
Forte, meanwhile, was forced to tip four-wide into the bend and swooped into contention at the quarter pole. Thrusting a head in front of Loggins and Florent Geroux with two furlongs left to run, the colt shouldered his rival the entire length of the stretch, who despite the pressure, refused to bend. At the wire, Forte was the narrow victor in a time of 1.44.74 on a fast main track.
The top two finishers made contact down the stretch with the winner placing the runner-up in tight quarters with about a sixteenth of a mile remaining. A long inquiry ensued, though the stewards ultimately made no change to the order of finish.
Forte and Loggins battle down to the line in the Breeders' Futurity
"(Loggins) ran a good race, I'm proud of him," Cox said of runner-up Loggins. "He did all the dirty work. It did get tight I don't if it was the right call, it doesn't matter. That's the decision made, but it's all good we will regroup and see what happens."
Irad Ortiz aboard Forte admitted the colt ran greenly but that he tried in earnest to keep the colt on a straight path to the finish.
"Obviously you're worried (about being taken down) because you don't know what they're going to decide upstairs," said Green.
Forte, owned in partnership by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, who signed for the colt at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale for $110,000, notched his second grade 1 win after airing the field by three lengths in the Sept. 5 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The second choice behind Loggins in the wagering, he paid $10.86 for a $2 win ticket.
Rory Babich of St. Elias (left) leads Forte and Irad Ortiz, Jr. to the winner's circle
"I loved the way he handled the two turns," Pletcher told BloodHorse via telephone following the Breeders' Futurity. "It was great to get that experience under his belt before the Breeders' Cup. It seemed like the track was playing a little bit toward speed, so I was a little concerned when they turned up to the backside. But it seemed like he was traveling well, was able to improve his position along the way, and got by a good horse. I think there is room for improvement off that."
That improvement could be on stage in the upcoming Breeders' Cup Juvenile, to which Forte earned an all-expense paid ticket to the $2 million race with his Breeders' Futurity score.
The regally-bred Red Route One earned the show spot at 59-1 odds for the Steve Asmussen barn. Positioned near the back of the pack through most of the 1 1/16-mile journey, the son of Gun Runner out of a full sister to champion Untapable was making his first start on the dirt after breaking his maiden on the turf at Kentucky Downs Sept. 5.
Bred by Southgate Farm in Kentucky, Forte is produced from the stakes-winning Blame mare Queen Caroline . Forte's younger half brother by Uncle Mo recently dropped the hammer for $850,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale to Mayberry Farm. Queen Caroline was bred to Not This Time this past breeding season.
(L-R): Walker Hancock presents the trophy to Rory Babich and Irad Ortiz, Jr.