Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Monday, October 23
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Monday's meetings at Plumpton, Windsor and Wolverhampton.
Month: October 2023
Champion Forte Arrives At Spendthrift, Will Stand For 50k
2-year-old champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), whose retirement was announced earlier this week, has arrived at Spendthrift Farm where he will take up stud duty in 2024. His introductory fee will be $50,000 S&N and he is available for inspection by appointment.
“The first thing I think about Forte is just how much of an honor it is for us to bring a horse like him to Spendthrift. He's the fifth champion we've been fortunate enough to add to our stallion ranks since 2020, and that's a testament to what Mr. Hughes built and the commitment that Eric and Tammy Gustavson are now carrying forward,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey. “While we are disappointed for Mike [Repole] and Vinnie [Viola] that Forte wasn't able to end his great career like a champion deserves to, we are very grateful for our partnership with them. Forte is the first 2-year-old champion to retire to Spendthrift in more than four decades, since the likes of Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Lord Avie. That's some pretty special company, and we couldn't be more excited about his future.”
Racing for Repole Stable and Viola's St. Elias Stable, Forte was named champion 2-year-old colt after a season which saw him break his maiden by 7 3/4 lengths on debut going five furlongs at Belmont and pick up three consecutive Grade I victories in the Hopeful S., the Breeders' Futurity and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. As a 3-year-old, he took the GII Fountain of Youth S. and the GI Curlin Florida Derby.
“Forte has given us the ride of a lifetime on the track and done everything asked of him and more under tremendous training by Todd Pletcher,” said Viola. “We are blessed to have raced such a talented horse in partnership with Mike Repole, and excited about his prospects as a sire at Spendthrift Farm.”
Repole added, “Vinnie and I are so fortunate to be blessed with this ultra-talented colt. Forte's 2-year-old season, from breaking his maiden at five furlongs in May and winning three Grade I's including capping it off with a spectacular effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, left us in awe. To come back at three and win the Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby and Jim Dandy, and run second in the Belmont at 1 1/2 miles, was amazing. Forte is just a special horse.”
Forte retired with career earnings of $3,029,830.
“Forte just exuded class in everything he did, which is something you only see from those few special ones that come through,” Pletcher said. “Some probably won't quite appreciate how special he was because of the bad luck we faced this year. Obviously, the timing could not have been worse to have the foot bruise that kept him out of the Derby, and we have been battling a quarter crack on a different foot that was going to force us to miss the Breeders' Cup and all our goals for the fall and winter. I've been fortunate to train three colts that were champion 2-year-olds but Forte is the first to win three Grade I's at two. Horses like that don't come around often and we'll miss him in the barn.”
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‘Far From Definitely Being Retired’: Nest To Be Offered At Fasig-Tipton November Sale
Nest, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2022, will not be pre-entered Monday for a Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) bid and instead is to be offered at public auction at the Fasig-Tipton November sale, Daily Racing Form reports.
A Curlin filly, Nest is owned by a partnership that includes Mike Repole, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House.
“I'm not sure if Mike might buy the other 50 percent and run her back, I'm not sure what they're going to do,” trainer Todd Pletcher told the Form. “She's far from definitely being retired.”
In her most recent outing, Nest was fourth in the Spinster (G1) on Oct. 8 at Keeneland and has not been as perky in her recent training as Pletcher would like for a Breeders' Cup bid.
“She seems fine, she's been galloping every day at Keeneland; we just haven't seen the same energy we saw before,” Pletcher said. “…We're kind of running out of time to be at our peak for a race that you have to obviously be at your very best for.”
Nest has won eight of 14 career starts, including the 2022 Central Bank Ashland (G1), Coaching Club American Oaks (G1), and Alabama (G1) and was second in the Belmont (G1) during her championship season, while bankrolling $2.17 million in purse earnings.
Nest's 4-year-old campaign this year was delayed by an illness during the spring. She returned in July at Saratoga and won the Shuvee (G2) to launch the season, then finished third in the Personal Ensign (G1) there Aug. 25 in her start prior to the Spinster.
To read the full report at drf.com, click here.
The post ‘Far From Definitely Being Retired’: Nest To Be Offered At Fasig-Tipton November Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Proxy, Prince Of Monaco Top Breeders’ Cup Work Tab
Godolphin homebred Proxy (Tapit) had his final serious drill Sunday for an expected start in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. The 5-year-old breezed 5 furlongs in 1:02 on the fast track with regular jockey Joel Rosario in the saddle.
The plan was to go in company with Godolphin's unraced 2-year-old colt Surveyor (Medaglia d'Oro), but the duo was unexpectedly joined by workers from other trainers. Despite the surprise, trainer Mike Stidham, Godolphin Chief Operating Officer Dan Pride and Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan were all smiles watching from the Grandstand.
“The main thing we were looking for today was that we would let him break off a little bit behind,” Stidham said. “The other horses getting in there was not planned. That just happened. It turned out to be four horses working together. And when Joel took him out – and got him out in the clear – that's what we wanted to see. He needed that type of work; that was the most important work.”
Stidham said Proxy will have a lesser workout Saturday, Oct. 28 or Sunday, Oct. 29 before shipping to Santa Anita Oct. 30.
“Next week will be less of a blowout for the Breeders' Cup,” Stidham said about Proxy's next assignment. “Today's work was exactly what we were looking for. He handled it well and galloped out great and did everything right. We couldn't be happier.”
Also at Keeneland, Peter Brant's Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) worked a half-mile in :50 in company with Lady De Berry (Practical Joke) over the fast main track for trainer Chad Brown.
“She worked good,” said Baldo Hernandez, assistant to Brown who noted that Gina Romantica has had most of her workouts on dirt during her career. “She'll work again next weekend and may work on the grass with In Italian (GB). That's to be determined.”
Both Gina Romantica and In Italian (Dubawi {Ire}) are scheduled to ship to Santa Anita Oct. 30 for the Breeders' Cup.
Also working toward a possible Breeders' Cup start was Nakatomi (Firing Line) for trainer Wesley Ward who breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.60, the fastest of 32 at the distance for the morning.
Out west, Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) and Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) were among a quartet of Breeders' Cup prospects trained by Bob Baffert to record timed workouts at Santa Anita Sunday with both working six furlongs from the gate.
Prince of Monaco, pointed to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile went in 1:12.00 while Speed Boat Beach, headed to the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, blitzed through his work in 1:11.00 to be the fastest of seven moves at the distance.
Also working for Baffert were Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) (5f, 59.60) for the Distaff and Eda (Munnings) (4f, 46.80), who is possible for the Filly & Mare Sprint.
Working for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen were Clairiere (Curlin) (5f, 59.80) and Private Creed (Jimmy Creed) (4f, 48.40).
Dr. Schivel (Violence) worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Mark Glatt.
Buttercream Babe (Twirling Candy), a candidate for the Juvenile Fillies Turf for trainer Michael Maker, worked four furlongs in 51.20.
Rounding out Sunday's Breeders' Cup workers were Gold Phoenix (Declan's Warrior) (5f, 1:01.80) and Balladeer (Distorted Humor) 5f, (1:00.00), both candidates for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf.
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