Overcoming the disadvantageous No. 11 post and racing wide most of the way, Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte, the 2-year-old male champion of 2022 and early Kentucky Derby favorite, rallied late under Irad Ortiz Jr. to catch Mage in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the 72nd running of the $1-million, Grade 1 Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
The son of Violence out of Queen Caroline, by Blame, drew off to a winning margin of one length after covering 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.51. He paid $2.60 to win as the heavy favorite in a field of 12 3-year-olds.
Mage, the 9-2 second betting choice trained by Gustavo Delgado, held second after opening a clear lead in mid-stretch. Cyclone Mischief finished third, with Mr. Ripple fourth, and pace-setting Fort Bragg fifth.
The top five finishers earned 100-40-30-20-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
Forte is trained by Todd Pletcher, who was winning his seventh Florida Derby since 2007. The Florida Derby was his fourth win on the 14-race Florida Derby day program. Ortiz won six races on the day. This was the multiple Eclipse Award-winning jockey's second Florida Derby victory, his previous win coming in 2021 with Pletcher-trained Known Agenda.
Joel Rosario sent Fort Bragg to the early lead after a tardy break, outrunning Mr. Peeks and going the opening quarter mile in :23.57 and the half mile in :46.71. The Tapit colt shook clear, holding a two-length advantage entering the far turn after six furlongs in 1:10.63, but by the time the field reached the top of the stretch, Mage and Luis Saez ranged up alongside and were poised to take the lead.
Mage got the jump on Forte, who managed to save some ground around the far turn, after racing wide into the first turn and down the backstretch while near the back of the field. Irad swung Forte to Mage's outside turning into the stretch, but had a lot of work to do when Mage hit the furlong grounds after a mile in 1:36.35. Under left-handed encouragement from Ortiz, Forte caught and passed Mage in the final sixteenth of a mile.
The win was the sixth in seven career starts for Forte, who has now won four G1 rqces: the Hopeful, Breeders' Futurity, Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Florida Derby. He was bred in Kentucky by South Gate Farm and purchased by Repole and Elias Stable for $110,000 from consignor Eaton Sales at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Inaugurated in 1952, the Florida Derby has had numerous runners move on to win the Kentucky Derby. Since 2001, six horses have completed the Florida Derby-Kentucky Derby double: Monarchos in 2001, Barbaro in 2006, Big Brown in 2008, Orb in 2013, Nyquist in 2016, and Always Dreaming in 2017. Gen. Duke, the 1957 winner, holds the stakes record of 1:46 4/5.
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