Forte Dei Marmi Aims for Sky Classic History
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Stella Perdomo's Forte Dei Marmi will try to become the first horse to win the Sky Classic Stakes (Can-IIT) three times when he faces an expected seven other rivals in the 1 1/4-mile turf race Aug. 16 at Woodbine.
As one of five horses to win the Sky Classic twice, millionaire Forte Dei Marmi already figures prominently in the race's history. Last year, at age 7, the son of Selkirk established a course record when he completed the Sky Classic in 2:00.12 to win the race for a second straight year, posting a 2 1/4-length victory over Hampstead Heath.
That victory and a narrow win in the race that followed, the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Can-IT), helped Forte Dei Marmi earn Canada's champion grass horse honors last year.
Racing Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield may have to work some magic this year as Forte Dei Marmi has not registered a win in four 2014 starts. Two of the three rivals that finished in front of him in his most recent start, the Singspiel Stakes (Can-IIIT) July 6 at Woodbine, are entered in Saturday's race.
Forte Dei Marmi easily won the Singspiel last year as the first of three victories in his championship campaign. This year, Sam-Son Farm's Aldous Snow, who will start from the inside in the Sky Classic, nosed out Perfect Timber for the Singspiel victory, in the process securing his first career stakes win.
John Oxley's Dynamic Sky, who finished third in the Singspiel, also will contest the Sky Classic. The 4-year-old son of Sky Mesa added a runner-up finish to Up With the Birds in the Nijinsky Stakes (Can-IIT) July 19.
Other contenders are Reporting Star, on a three-race win streak, River Seven, third in the Nijinksy after a slow start, and multiple graded stakes winner Five Iron, winner of the For Marcy (gr. IIIT) in May.
[raceEntries date="8/16/2014" country="CAN" trackid="WO" racenumber="8"]