Ocala horseman David Scanlon is not just a leading 2-year-old consignor, but he has also built an impressive list of training graduates for leading owners like Godolphin, Coolmore, Don Alberto, and Calumet Farm. In both capacities, Scanlon's operation is well represented on this year's GI Kentucky Derby trail. He was in charge of the early training of leading Derby contender Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) and his Scanlon Training & Sales pinhooked GIII Gotham S. runner-up Just a Touch (Justify).

Whether he is training a horse for a client to race or one of his own destined for resale, Scanlon said they all start with the same training regimen.

“When we go through the breaking and basic training, pretty much everyone is on the same schedule,” Scanlon said. “Everybody goes through getting acquainted with the rider, getting ridden, from small round pens to paddocks, to big fields, to the racetrack. So that's usually our technique that we use and that's pretty much standard for all of our horses.”

Eventually the sales calendar forces the two groups to diverge in their training.

“With a lot of these racehorses, especially for my higher-end clients, these horses who are going to be late summer or Saratoga classic horses, we will plan their work schedules to start much later. Whereas, with the 2-year-olds, I will look at a sales date and then I start to work backwards from the breeze show dates. I want to start a couple of months away and say I am going to start my light schedules here and at this point, we need to be doing this with him and going this fast.”

Sierra Leone | Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.

But plotting out a course for his pinhook prospects necessarily begins in the fall when Scanlon and his team are shopping at the yearling sales. Without the seemingly limitless budget of some of those high-end clients, he has learned what corners he can cut while still finding success the following spring in the sales ring.

“It's really hard to get everything for us,” Scanlon said. “The old saying, checking all the boxes, if they have a real high-end fancy pedigree, and they also have a great body and conformation, that's usually going to be hard for a pinhooker to buy. You are usually going to get beat by an end-user.”

Buying on a budget over the years has led Scanlon to accept certain conformational flaws, but always in the context of the entire horse.

“The one thing we always look for, say a horse's conformation isn't perfect, they may toe in, they may toe out or they are a little offset in the knees, you still want them to have a big, athletic walk and see how they walk through it,” Scanlon said. “Maybe we are going to buy a horse that is a little bit off-set in the knees, but he ends up walking through it really well. If I am looking at a horse and he is toed in, but he walks really well through it, I may forgive that horse. But if he comes at me and he has a lot of action in his walk–like a wing, as they say–that's not good. That horse may not be a good mover or a galloper, too. If they don't walk through it well, then they don't move as well.”

That winnowing process that pinhookers are forced to use at the yearling sales in the fall makes for outstanding offerings at the 2-year-old sales, according to Scanlon.

“Some of the best horse people I know have basically gone through and already short-listed horses,” he said of the pinhookers. “We look at thousands of yearlings all year and go ahead with what we've discovered as athletes. Year in and year out, you always see at the top of the standings, horses that the top 10 pinhookers have picked out. I don't think it's a coincidence that they are, every year, some of the best 2-year-olds in the country. It's our job and what we've done for a long time. We have done this so many times, we know what really works and what doesn't. Sometimes when you just have an open check book, maybe it means a little bit more to us, it's how we make our living. It's very important to know what works and what doesn't.”

Scanlon-trained colt by Constitution sells for $800,000 at last week's OBS March sale | Photos by Z

While innuendo and speculation continue to swirl around the 2-year-old sales, Scanlon said he thinks the sales companies have made impressive progress in regulating both the horses and their sellers.

“I think the sales companies are really doing a good job, especially in the last two years,” he said. “I don't think people are actually highlighting enough how far the sales companies have come with their medication rules. It was really a little more open a few years ago, but in the last two years, they have really tried to adopt rules that come along a little bit more in line with what HISA is trying to tell the racing public. Can you always do a little bit more? I am sure you can. And I think that is what they are working on. I do believe there is a lot of disclosure in the sale.

“With some of the stuff they've been talking about, like Clenbuterol, I just feel like that is something that doesn't have a place anymore. We don't even keep that on the farm anymore, for any use. It's one of those things that, with the way the world is now, it's just something we don't need to have around here knowing it's frowned upon and the penalties.”

Asked if there were any changes he would like to see, Scanlon said, “I think the sales companies not being so lenient on some of the guys who do have violations. Enough slaps on the wrist, if you have this many, that's it. You're not going to be able to sell. I do feel like some of the rules with people who have multiple violations will need to be more stringent in the future, just to give people a little more confidence going forward.”

And what advice would he give to potential buyers at the juvenile sales?

“I think the buyers need to educate themselves,” he said. “I think buyers need to realize, when they come to these sales, they need to do a little bit of homework, too, on the people they are doing business with. Spend some time, go through the results. To me, when you go ahead and open the TDN, or if you see guys who are selling multiple winners, guys who have been around for a long time and have sold a lot of winners, they have been established. Ask around and know who you are dealing with. Those are the kind of people I think you want to do business with. I'm not saying everybody doesn't deserve a shot to start a business, but some of these guys can be fly by night. You want to take your time with that.”

Despite the issues that still need to be confronted, Scanlon stressed it was important to appreciate the gains that have already been made.

“I think sometimes in this sport, we are facing a lot of challenges right now, but I don't think we always stop to look at how far we've actually come in the last few years,” he said. “I do think the 2-year-old sales companies are really trying to work together to improve the sport as far as medication and how it all comes together.”

To view the entire 2023 X-Ray Files series, click here.

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The gray is out GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), who was bred and raced by Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso. Initially, she was purchased by Brushwood Stable for $2.8 million as the fourth highest price at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale.

Five years later at the same auction, Whisper Hill made the mare the sales topper when Mandy Pope took her home for $3.8 million, while Tap My Belle's older full-sister, Unrivaled Princess, was in-utero.

Of course, Unrivaled Belle's most famous produce to date is also another full-sister to this Gulfstream first-time starter–two-time Eclipse Award recipient Unique Bella. Winner of the GI Beholder Mile and GI La Brea S., the champion was purchased for $400,000 by Don Alberto at the 2015 Keeneland September Sale.

Unrivaled Belle claims a 2-year-old colt and a yearling one of the same sex, while Unique Bella–herself a dam–also has a 2-year-old colt and she foaled a filly last year. All four offspring are by multiple leading sire Into Mischief.

Tap My Belle's second dam, MGSW Queenie Belle (Bertrando), is also responsible for the dam of GIII Gotham S. victor Raise Cain (Violence). TJCIS PPS

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In June, the international operation owned by Liliana Solari and her son Carlos Heller celebrated the first Grade I winner in the United States bred by their American base when Arcangelo (Arrogate) scored in a historic edition of the GI Belmont S. Now, they are preparing to send 50 homebreds to the Keeneland September Sale. The contingent is led by an Into Mischief colt out of champion racemare Unique Bella (Tapit) who will be the first of their prized mare's progeny to sell at auction.

Ten years ago, Don Alberto expanded from its successful breeding and racing base in Chile when they purchased the former Vinery Farm in Kentucky and then went on a shopping spree at the fall breeding stock sales, grossing $10.64 million in purchases at the Keeneland November Sale alone. Since then, the operation has emerged in the headlines from a different perspective as a commercial breeder. Recent highlights include their sale of the highest-priced yearling sold in North America in 2021–a $2.6 million Into Mischief colt out of GI Test S. winner Paola Queen (Flatter).

Next week at Keeneland, the farm will offer nine yearlings in Book 1. With six fillies and three colts in the lineup, each member of the assembly hails from a dam that claimed blacktype on the racetrack and four are out of Grade I winners.

“I would say this is as strong as we've ever been coming into Keeneland Book 1,” said Reed Ringler, the COO of Don Alberto's U.S. operation. “Just an incredible depth, great sire power and out of fantastic mares that we've been procuring for the last ten years here in Kentucky.”

Selling with Taylor Made Sales, Unique Bella's colt may share the same flashy coloring as his dam, but the eye-catching gray seems to have inherited the physical of his sire.

“I think this horse is more like Into Mischief,” Ringler explained. “He's got some stretch to him and he is medium-sized, a very well-balanced colt. He has a big walk on him. He's a May foal, so there is a lot of room for growth. We're very excited about him and we have high hopes for this horse on the big night.”

Unique Bella was the first horse to claim a Grade I on American soil for Don Alberto's racing stable back in 2017. She would go on to earn Eclipse honors for top female sprinter that year and was then named champion older dirt female the following season.

The mare's first two foals were retained by the farm. Her 3-year-old unraced daughter Una Bella d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) is now carrying her first foal by Mandaloun and her 2-year-old colt Ultra Power (Curlin) is in training with Bob Baffert. The juvenile ran sixth at Del Mar on debut on Aug. 25, but Ringler said the colt is expected to thrive later this season going two turns.

Salty's Tapit filly at the Gainesway consignment | Sara Gordon

Ringler also noted that their team believes they have found the right match for Unique Bella in Into Mischief, explaining that the mare's foal of this year by the Spendthrift supersire is just as impressive as her older brother.

“Unique Bella is a big, strong mare and I think what we found with Into Mischief is that we really hit the bull's-eye as we were looking for that racey athlete,” he said.

Ringler added that because the operation now has a colt and a filly from their star mare, they believed this was the right time to offer one of her progeny to the market. Selling as Hip 382, the yearling will be one of the final hips to go through the ring during the second session of Book 1.

Earlier in the second day of the sale, another high-profile Don Alberto mare will be represented by her first foal to go to auction. Salty (Quality Road), who claimed the GI La Troienne S. in 2018, was purchased by Don Alberto later that year for $3 million. Her first foal Safiri, an unraced filly by Tapit, was retained by Don Alberto and bred to Mandaloun this year. Salty's second daughter by Tapit will sell as Hip 301 with Gainesway.

Hip 220, by Candy Ride (Arg), is the first foal out of Grade III winner Magic Star and sells with Denali Stud | Sara Gordon

“She looks a lot like her daddy,” Ringler noted. “She's going to turn a lot of heads when she walks out. She's a beautiful, early type and out of a Grade I-winning mare, so we're very hopeful and very blessed.”

Don Alberto's legion of Book 1-bound fillies also includes Hip 19–an Into Mischief half-sister to MGISW American Gal (Concord Point), Hip 20–a daughter of Uncle Mo out of GI Chandelier S. winner Angela Renee (Bernardini), Hip 69–a Quality Road filly out of GI La Brea S. victress Constellation (Bellamy Road), Hip 217–another Tapit whose dam Luminance (Tale of the Cat) was second in the GI Santa Anita Oaks, and finally Hip 297–an American Pharoah half-sister to stakes winner Rubilinda (Frankel).

With a majority of fillies coming out of this year's crop of yearlings, Ringler said the decision regarding which youngsters would go to auction was not an easy one.

“This year is exceptionally hard with the fillies coming out of these pedigrees,” he admitted. “Carlos [Heller Solari] and I just had a meeting about how hard this game is and it gets harder the bigger the decisions get. We are commercial and we do bring most of our horses to market, but when we identify horses that are maybe undervalued, we're going to keep them and race them. We're strong judges, but Carlos knows it's a business. We were filly heavy this crop and we thought it was the right thing to bring them to market to let other people see what we're building at Don Alberto.”

Don Alberto's Book 1 group is rounded out by two additional colts. Hip 220, a Candy Ride (Arg) colt consigned with Denali Stud, is the first foal out of Grade III victress Magic Star (Scat Daddy). Hip 377 by Curlin is a son of Grade III winner Touching Beauty (Tapit) and will sell with Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

Hip 19, a half-sister to GISW American Gal, by Into Mischief | Sara Gordon

Don Alberto will be represented well on past Book 1, but the breeding operation has proven that they can produce a top-level horse in the later books.

Dual Grade I winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) slipped through the September Sale in 2021 when he sold for just $35,000 to Jon Ebbert in Book 3. His dam Modeling (Tapit), who hails from influential Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour, was a $2.85 million purchase for Don Alberto in 2014, but Arcangelo's immaturity and smaller stature as a May foal kept him off most lists.

“The great thing about Keeneland is that there is value everywhere,” Ringler explained. “You never know where you're going to find an Arcangelo and that's why you come here to shop. The dam of Arcangelo was one of our foundation mares so to get our first Classic winner with a horse that is this special for his connections, it's just been a wonderful year.”

While health issues have prevented Modeling from producing another foal since Arcangelo, Don Alberto does have his half-sister Madison Square (Medaglia d'Oro) in their broodmare band.

With just over 100 mares on their farm in Lexington, the Don Alberto product may continue to evolve, but their philosophy stays the same.

“When Ms. Liliana and Carlos came here, their passion for racing and pedigrees was already globally known,” said Ringler. “They came here with a plan. We've adapted a bit to American commercial appeal and I think we're seeing that on the racetrack now. Carlos has big goals. He wants to win the Kentucky Derby. He wants to compete in all the big Classics. But I think more importantly, we want to further the breed, be a good steward of the industry and continue to develop relationships.”

“Ms. Liliana lights up around all of her horses,” he continued. “You can see her love and passion for all of her horses and it really flows through to our entire staff. You can see the love they give to every horse and I hope that when the world sees our horses at Keeneland, they see that love and that care coming through with all of our yearlings.”

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Subsequently flattered by Liguria (War Front)'s impressive performance in last weekend's GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar, Erna (f, 2, Curlin–Jumby Bay, by City Zip) will look to go one better at second asking in the nightcap at Gulfstream Park Sunday.

Off at 11-1 going 1 1/16 miles over the grass on debut at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting Oct. 22, Erna jumped well from post five and cleared the field of 10 heading into the clubhouse turn. Under a snug hold and in control through fractions of :23.33 and :48.01, the $600,000 OBS April breezer hit the quarter pole as the one to catch and led by a commanding 1 1/2 lengths in the stretch.

The aforementioned Liguria, making her second career start, however, was just getting going down the center. Erna dug down deep and braced for the challenge inside the final sixteenth, but, after swapping to her left lead close to home, just couldn't hold that one off and came up a neck short. Erna received a 70 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

After failing to draw into a pair of spots during Keeneland's fall meeting, Erna made a last-minute trip from trainer Cherie DeVaux's Lexington base to the Big A for her debut.

“I was really impressed with how she ran given the circumstances,” DeVaux said.

“She did not get into either of the races that had overfilled at Keeneland and she had been training there the entire time since she came in after the sale. She had to ship after entries came out on Wednesday to Belmont Park. She arrived Thursday, trained at Belmont on Friday and had to ship over to Aqueduct [to run] on Saturday. So, it was less than ideal circumstances and she ran huge considering all that was thrown at her.”

Erna, the first foal out of the multiple stakes-placed Jumby Bay, brought $600,000 from owner James D. Spry after cruising through a :20 4/5 bullet in Ocala this spring. The daughter of two-time Horse of the Year and perennial leading sire Curlin was previously a $135,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Lehigh Bloodstock.

Jumby Bay, from the family of grassy GI Garden City Breeders' Cup S. heroine Magnificent Song (Unbridled's Song), brought $510,000 from breeder Don Alberto carrying Erna at the 2019 Keeneland November sale.

“At the sale, we were really impressed with her breeze and how she moved,” DeVaux said of Erna. “She looked like she was more turf inclined.”

Erna drew post nine going a two-turn mile for her second career try over the Gulfstream lawn Sunday. Luis Saez has the mount aboard the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

“I think if she either runs the race that she ran last time or improves, she's gonna be hard to beat,” DeVaux said. “She acts like she's a filly to be excited about.”

The 'Second Chances' honor roll is headed by two-time Breeders' Cup winner and new Ashford Stud stallion Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner and Lane's End stallion Honor A. P. (Honor Code), recent GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Cody's Wish (Curlin) and MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags).

This year's GI Carter H. winner and new Darley stallion Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), GI Preakness S. third-place finisher Creative Minister (Creative Cause), Curlin S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Artorius (Arrogate) and Cinema S. winner and GII Del Mar Derby third War At Sea (War Front) have also been featured in the series.

Other standouts include: GSW Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GSW & MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); and GISP A Mo Reay (Uncle Mo).

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Grovendale Sales is a Thoroughbred sales consignment based in Versailles, Kentucky, offering sales representation, matings, investments and Thoroughbred management consultation.

Timm has over 12 years' experience in the commercial Thoroughbred business. He spent eight years at Lane's End Farm as the Director of Stallion Seasons and Shares, while actively working with both the sales and bloodstock divisions. Most recently the Executive Director of Don Alberto Corp, Chance oversaw the sale and management of over $10 million in public sales, including the highest-priced yearling in the Northern Hemisphere in 2021, a yearling colt by Into Mischief out of Paola Queen, who sold for $2.6 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

“I've been fortunate to work with some top organizations and quality bloodstock,” said Timm. “I'm very thankful for the opportunities I've been given but especially by James Keogh to partner with him. I have a lot of confidence and respect for James and what he has built in Grovendale Sales. We will represent owners and breeders at the major sales and I look forward to building our yearling and horses-of-racing-age drafts while adding further quality to the breeding stock sales where James has always been so successful.”

Keogh, a native of Ireland, has over 30 years' experience in the Thoroughbred industry while based in Kentucky, building Grovendale into a major sales mainstay over the past 10 years. Said Keogh of the new partnership, “Bringing on Chance is an opportunity for me to grow and build the sales agency, while maintaining a focus on quality over quantity. The partnership will enable us to expand our reach both with Chance's relationships as well as a greater representation at every major sale.”

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FORTINENO (IRE) (f, 2, Frankel {GB}–Rubina {Ire} {SP-Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), backed to 6-5 favoritism for this debut despite a modest-looking worktab, traveled in a clear fifth as Seduce (Into Mischief) dictated terms through pokey fractions of :26.06 and :51.81 over boggy ground. Picking up a bit three wide nearing the lane, the $400,000 Keeneland September buy found her best stride passing the eighth pole and wore down the pacesetter in the final sixteenth to score going away by 1 1/2 lengths. Seduce held for second money. The victress is a full-sister to Rubilinda, MSW, $246,540. Her dam, bought for 475,000 guineas at the 2013 Tattersalls December Mare Sale, has a yearling No Nay Never filly and produced a full-sister to the winner this term before visiting American Pharoah. Sales History: $400,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $55,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

O-West Point Thoroughbreds, Edwin S. Barker, William T. Freeman & Michael Valdes; B-Haras Don Alberto (IRE); T-Christophe Clement.

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The lightly raced 4-year-old, a disappointing eighth in the GII Remsen S. in his juvenile finale, has been perfect in three starts since. The Don Alberto homebred was two-for-two in an abbreviated 2020 campaign, capped by a win with a career-high 101 Beyer Speed Figure in the GIII Discovery S. at Aqueduct Nov. 28.

“Bill [Mott] has always thought so much of the horse and he and his team have done a phenomenal job getting him back to the races,” Don Alberto racing manager Matt Hogan said. “Bill picked that allowance race–if he was going to run as well as we all hoped and expected him to–the timing fit for the Jockey Club Gold Cup. And that was what Bill and I spoke about beforehand, depending on the race, of course, that it would be the most logical step because Bill has always thought so highly of him.”

Making his first start in nine months going 1 1/8 miles in the Saratoga mud, Forza Di Oro traveled kindly in second beneath Junior Alvarado, made his move to gain command approaching the quarter pole, and took care of business from there to score by a much-the-best three lengths at odds of 8-5. He received a 100 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, his fourth career win from six starts.

Patience continues to pay off and Mott and his team deserve all the credit, per Hogan.

“Bill is a Hall of Famer,” Hogan said. “This is what he does. He's phenomenal at that. A big horse like this, as Bill said, he's been a little bit of a project, but any little setback is obviously poorly timed. Giving him the time off and bringing him back this year, he just seemed a big, happy, fresh, sound animal that was ready to get out there and rock and roll when we put him back under tack here at the farm. To bring a horse off such a long layoff– yet again to such an impressive performance–just goes to show the capabilities of Bill and his team.”

Forza Di Oro's stakes-winning and graded-stakes placed dam– Filare l'Oro (Hard Spun)–brought $410,000 from Don Alberto in foal to Tapit at the 2013 KEENOV sale. That produce, the $270,000 KEESEP yearling turned $510,000 OBSMAR 2-year-old Silver Dust (Tapit), has captured four graded stakes victories and is closing in on seven figures in earnings. The 12-year-old is currently carrying a full sibling to Forza Di Oro. Forza Di Oro, a $325,000 RNA as a FTSAUG yearling, hails from the extended female family of GISWs Stop Traffic (Cure the Blues), Cross Traffic (Unbridled's Song), et al.

“Bill said he came out of the race in good shape and that's all we can ask and hope for,” Hogan concluded. “We'll see how he progresses and moves forward before anything gets decided, but the [Jockey Club Gold Cup] is the idea, though.”

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The streaking Baoma Corp homebred Beautiful Gift, a half-sister to the Chu Family's GIII Sunland Derby hero and Bridlewood Farm sire Chitu (Henny Hughes), graduated by a half-length at second asking in her previous trip to the post for Bob Baffert Oct. 23.

The rail-drawn Don Alberto homebred Moraz, an 11-length maiden winner second out in Arcadia Jan. 8, was third behind the sidelined Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) two starts back in the GIII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 6. Moraz's dam Malvinia (A.P. Indy), an $800,000 purchase at the 2013 FTKNOV sale, is a half-sister to the dam of Spendthrift stallion Temple City.

Godolphin homebred Javanica (Medaglia d'Oro), runner-up in four straight stakes tries, returns to her division after giving males all they could handle in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Feb. 13. She came up a neck short to favored Rombauer (Twirling Candy) that day, who returns in Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. The half-sister to recent The Very One S. heroine Antoinette (Hard Spun) makes her first start on dirt in the Oaks.

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With over 100 broodmares, Don Alberto, based in Lexington, was a top 15 breeder nationally last year. Timm succeeds Fabricio Buffolo, who has been the Executive Director for the past four years. Both are graduates of the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program.

Beginning with the purchase of the former Vinery Stud in 2013, Don Alberto has subsequently expanded its holdings in America to occupy 1300 acres and has positioned itself as an active breeder at the top of the bloodstock market.

Originally from Murray, Utah, Chance Timm has over 14 years experience in the Thoroughbred industry. He has been with Lane's End Farm since 2014 as the Director of Stallion
Seasons and Shares, where he has also had an active role in their sales consignment. “Don Alberto has established itself as a major force in the worldwide thoroughbred industry,” said
Timm. “I am confident that our team will further that success in the coming years and am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it. I'd like to thank Bill Farish and everyone at
Lane's End; it has been a privilege to work at such a distinguished farm.”

Don Alberto was founded in South America in 1987, when Liliana Solari Falabella bought an estate near Los Angeles, Chile, and founded the Haras Don Alberto, a Thoroughbred breeding farm. With her sons Andrea and Carlos Heller, Falabella developed the farm as well as their Bethia brand, which includes a dairy, winery, milk transportation and trucking, and more. The company employs more than 4,500 people.

Buffolo, originally from Brazil will return to his home country to be closer to his family while continuing his career in the thoroughbred industry. “I look forward to Chance leading our progression as one of the top breeding and racing organizations in North America. Although I am sad to see Fabricio go, I am very thankful for his hard work which has led us to where we are today,” said Carlos Heller on behalf of the Heller Solari family.

“I want to personally thank Carlos and Ms. Liliana for this incredible opportunity and for understanding my desire to be closer to my family. I'm very proud of what we've accomplished and have no doubt Don Alberto will continue to ascend the ranks of the industry,” said Buffolo.

In addition to racing two-time Champion Unique Bella among other graded stakes winners, Don Alberto has bred and sold multiple million-dollar yearlings. In 2018, they bought Grade I winner Salty for $3,000,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale, who produced a Tapit filly in 2020.. She was bred back to Tapit last year. They bought Dacita for $1.85 million the prior year at Fasig November, who has since produced an Uncle Mo colt in 2019, and a Quality Road filly in 2020.

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Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Speightstown chestnut arrived at the Discovery from a narrow victory in a 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance on Oct. 9 at Belmont Park, where he registered a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

Forza Di Oro broke sharply from post 3 in the five-horse field and was taken back and edged to the rail by jockey Junior Alvarado, as post-time favorite and dual stakes winner Monday Morning Qb led the field into the first turn through an opening quarter of 23.43 seconds with 24-1 longshot Ralston tracking one path to the outside in second over the fast main track.

Alvarado had a tight hold on Forza Di Oro, who was just to the outside of multiple-stakes placed Attachment Rate as Monday Morning Qb produced an easy half-mile in 47.53.

Around the far turn, Forza Di Oro still sought racing room but found an opening a few jumps past the quarter-pole in pursuit of the front end. Forza Di Oro collared Monday Morning Qb at the eighth pole and drew off to a 3 ¾ length victory in a time of 1:50.03.

Monday Morning Qb, with Dylan Davis up, held off a late-charge from two-time graded stakes winner Shared Sense, who finished third. Attachment Rate and Ralston completed the order of finish.

Fresh off a successful Friday at the Big A with two stakes victories, Alvarado said he was satisfied with the trip.

“I was pretty happy the whole way around. I knew what I had underneath and whatever position I was in, he'd be there for me. He makes my job easier,” said Alvarado, who has piloted the horse in all five of his lifetime starts. “He broke nicely today and after that he put me in the spot where we wanted to be. I was a passenger the whole way around. He was just waiting for me to give him the green light when we turned for home. It was the first time for him being on the inside like that and when we started moving forward, he hesitated a little bit, but after a few jumps, he knew what to do and went by the other horse.”

Alvarado added that Forza Di Oro's ability to switch leads was crucial.

“When he switches leads like he did today, he gives that next gear,” Alvarado said. “We'll keep working with him. He's a very talented horse. He's a horse that works very nice in the morning and we've been high on him since the beginning. He had to stop with some issues he had, but he came back very strong this year. Mentally, he still hasn't caught up with his body. He's a big guy with a nice, long stride but I think mentally, he still has to put it together.”

Banking $55,000 in victory, Forza Di Oro enhanced his lifetime earnings to $148,875 through a 5-3-1-0 record.

A Kentucky homebred, Forza Di Oro, who returned $8.30, provided his dam Filare l'Oro with her second graded stakes-winning progeny. The stakes-winning daughter of Hard Spun also produced three-time graded stakes winner Silver Dust.

While switching leads was to the winner's advantage, the same couldn't be said regarding the Butch Reid-trained Monday Morning Qb, who entered the Discovery from a victory in the Maryland Million Classic under Sheldon Russell on October 24 at Laurel Park.

“Butch said he tends to break a little slow the first two jumps,” Davis said. “I just did what Sheldon did in his last race and gave him a couple pops and he gets on the bridle. We got on the lead and he was aggressive, but he was doing good. He's a really big horse and it takes him a little bit to switch his leads, but I thought he still ran well. The other horse was just a little bit better today.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with a 10-race card, highlighted by the Grade 3, $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap for 3-year-olds and upward going six furlongs over the main track; the $100,000 Tepin for juvenile fillies going 1 1/16 miles over the turf; and the $100,000 Autumn Days for fillies and mares 3-years-old and upward going six furlongs on the turf. First post is 11:50 a.m. Eastern.

The post Forza Di Oro Makes The Grade In Discovery appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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