Todd Pletcher will be in search of a record-extending seventh success in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) April 1 at Gulfstream Park, and the Hall of Fame trainer remains supremely confident in Forte's preparation for the historic 1 1/8-mile Triple Crown prep.
Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte brings an extensive resume into the Florida Derby that includes an Eclipse Award as North America's 2022 2-year-old male championship; three Grade 1 victories, including a triumph in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile; and a stellar 3-year-old debut in the March 4 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream, in which he pulled away to a 4 ½-length score after negotiating heavy traffic between horses.
“Part of what was so great about his 2-year-old campaign, beside being Breeders' Cup champion and champion 2-year-old, was he got a lot of foundation and a lot of good experience,” Pletcher said. “That kind of makes a lot of things easier this year due to the fact that he has experience and is able to run a race like he did in the Fountain of Youth – sitting behind horses, taking kickback like a seasoned pro, traveling well throughout waiting for Irad to ask him to advance. A lot of that is because he had such a good foundation at 2.”
Pletcher has saddled Scat Daddy (2007), Constitution (2014), Materiality (2015), Always Dreaming (2017), Audible (2018) and Known Agenda (2021) for Florida Derby victories.
“South Florida is our home winter base, so naturally we're going to have our best 3-year-olds here. I think, really, when the Florida Derby moved to five weeks out that was a great placement and put you in a good position for the Kentucky Derby,” said Pletcher, who saddled Always Dreaming for a Kentucky Derby (G1) triumph, as well as winning the first leg of the Triple Crown with Super Saver in 2010. “Now that the Gulfstream meet is different than it used to be back in the day. The Florida Derby was more of a prep to another prep, whereas now it's the final prep.”
Forte has proven, especially in the Fountain of Youth, that he doesn't need his own way to assert his dominance.
“He's given us every indication the way he handles himself, his adaptability, his rateability and all of those things will play in his favor,” Pletcher said.
The post Formidable Forte: ‘Good Foundation’ From Champion 2-Year-Old Campaign ‘Makes A Lot Of Things Easier This Year’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
