Forte (foaled February 3, 2020) is a multiple

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winning American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse who won the

Hopeful Stakes The Hopeful Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Open to two-year-old horses, the Hopeful is the first Grade I stakes for two-year-olds each season and historically has ...

Breeders' Futurity The Breeders' Futurity Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Currently offering a purse of $500,000, the race is open to two-year-old horses and is run ...

Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for it ...

and

Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup ...

which was held at

as a two-year-old.

Background

Forte is a dark bay or brown colt that was bred in Kentucky by South Gate Farm. He was sired by

Violence Violence is the use of physical force so as to injure, abuse, damage, or destroy. Other definitions are also used, such as the World Health Organization's definition of violence as "the intentional use of physical force or Power (social and p ...

, winner of the 2012

CashCall Futurity The Los Alamitos Futurity is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds run over a distance distance of one and one sixteenth miles ( furlongs) on the dirt held annually in early December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, C ...

Hollywood Park Hollywood Park may refer to: Places United States * Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California * Hollywood Park, Chicago, a neighborhood in North Park, Chicago, Illinois * Hollywood Park, Inglewood, an entertainment complex and m ...

. Forte is from the sixth Northern Hemisphere crop sired by

and is his 28th stakes winner, and follows Dr. Schivel, No Parole, and Volatile as his fourth Grade 1 winner. Violence stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farms for $25,000 in 2022. Forte is out of the

Blame Blame is the act of censuring, holding responsible, or making negative statements about an individual or group that their actions or inaction are socially or morally irresponsible, the opposite of praise. When someone is morally responsible for ...

mare Queen Caroline, winner of four black-type events on the turf, including the 2016 Indiana Grand Stakes with $401,608 stakes earned in a 20 race career. She is out of a daughter of

Forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...

, Queens Plaza, winner of the 2004 Sorority Stakes at

Monmouth Park Monmouth Park Racetrack is an American race track for thoroughbred horse racing in Oceanport, New Jersey, United States. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority and is operated under a five-year lease as a partnership with ...

. Fourth dam Jeano is out of the 1985 Grade 1

Delaware Handicap The Delaware Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in mid July at Delaware Park Racetrack in Wilmington, Delaware. The Grade 2 race is open to fillies and mares, age three and up, willing to race one and one-quarter miles o ...

winner Basie, whose dam, Stolen Base, also appears as third dam of Champion

Smarty Jones Smarty Jones (February 28, 2001) is a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and came second in the Belmont Stakes. Background Born at Fairthorne Farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania, the horse was n ...

. Stolen Base is from a branch of the

La Troienne La Troienne (1926–1954) was one of the most famous and influential Thoroughbred broodmares in twentieth century America. She produced 10 winners including two Hall of Fame inductees while at stud, while her daughters in turn produced many nota ...

family. Forte was sold originally as a weanling for $80,000 at the 2020

November Sale to Silver Hill Farm. Later Forte was sold for $110,000 from the Eaton Sales consignment at the 2021

September Yearling Sale to Mike Repole's Repole Stable and Vincent Viola of St. Elias Stable. Forte is trained by U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer

Todd Pletcher Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award seven times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (20 ...

Racing career

2022: two-year-old season

Forte began his career on May 27 at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

in a Maiden Special Weight event for two-year-olds over a distance of five furlongs in small field of 5 of which four were first-starters. Forte started as the 1/5 odds-on favorite settled from start chasing the leaders Wasabi Boy and Gotta Like Him. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. moved Forte inside into the two path early on the turn then angling four wide at the five-sixteenths marker. He moved to the lead in the upper stretch then moved in some while passing Wasabi Boy, powering away under strong urging to win easily by

lengths Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a base unit for length is chosen, from which all other units are derived. In the Intern ...

in 58.21 seconds. Forte's next start was on July 16 in the Grade III

Sanford Stakes The Sanford Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the third week of July at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. A six furlong sprint race, the Grade III event is open to two-year-old horses. Inaug ...

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting venue of any kind in the country, but is actua ...

over a distance of six furlongs. The event attracted twelve starters of which eleven had won their last start with Forte starting the 7/5 favorite.Forte settled off the pace, was roused three wide on the turn and into upper stretch under a drive by Irad Ortiz Jr. and lacked the needed response and finished fourth to Mo Strike beaten by nearly six lengths. Undeterred by Forte's performance connections started him in the

at Saratoga on

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

weekend. On a rainy day which created a sloppy track Forte started at 13/2 fourth choice and was unhurried early as Gulfport and Mo Strike pushed the lead. Approaching the eighth pole, Forte grabbed the lead and then pulled away winning by three lengths to cover the seven furlongs in 1:22.58. Connections opted to pass the

Champagne Stakes for the

at Keeneland which was scheduled a week later. Again Forte was unhurried in the early stages settling in seventh place in a field of fourteen behind the 3/2 favorite Loggins. Forte was forced to tip four-wide on the turn moving into contention at the quarter pole. Forte moved his head in front of Loggins with two furlongs left to run and the colts battled the entire length of the stretch. At the wire, Forte was the narrow victor in a time of 1.44.74 on a fast main track. Both runners 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. By winning the

, Forte qualified to the

Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, ...

since the event is a "Win and You're In" race for the GI

Statistics

''Notes:''
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Forte was the post-time favourite.

Pedigree

Forte is inbred 4d × 4d to Storm Cat, meaning Storm Cat appears twice in the fourth generation on the dam's side of the pedigree.

References

{{reflist, 2 2020 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 1-x American Grade 1 Stakes winners Breeders' Cup Juvenile winners