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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Forster Readies His ‘Favorite Player’ For Dirt Mile

By his own admission, Grant Forster is not a “big fish in a small pond” kind of guy. He was extremely successful at Emerald Downs in the early years of his training career but made the decision to move to Kentucky in 2007 to “take on the sport's biggest players.”

Forster's stable was reduced by the move, but 13 years later the trainer is preparing to saddle his first Breeders' Cup starter. Gulliver Racing, Craig Drager, and Dan Legan's Pirate's Punch, a 4-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby, will be one of the top choices in the Grade 1 Dirt Mile on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“It's obviously super exciting,” said Forster, 46. “Everybody in horse racing, whether you're a jockey, a trainer, a groom, wants to be associated with a horse in the Triple Crown or the Breeders' Cup. Now, not only do we have a horse in the Breeders' Cup, but we have a live chance to win.

“Winning a race like that would really be big for my career. We're a smaller stable but we've been fortunate; it always seems like we've had one stakes horse in the barn. We've won some nice graded stakes, and we've placed in nice graded stakes, but we've never won a Grade 1, never competed in the Breeders' Cup, so to do that, that's why we're all here.”

Pirate's Punch won the G3 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park last Saturday by two lengths, returning to the winner's circle after a disqualification from victory in the G3 Phillip H. Iselin at the New Jersey oval on Aug. 22.

“When he crossed the wire first in the Iselin at Monmouth, the Breeders' Cup really entered the conversation,” Forster said. “The horse he beat, Warrior's Charge, was one of the top contenders in the division. Even though we were disqualified, we felt we had the best horse on that day; we looked him in the eye and beat him.”

Warrior's Charge returned to finish a disappointing eighth in the G3 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs on Sept. 26 after setting a wicked early pace, but Pirate's Punch showed he has not regressed off the Iselin effort. His Salvator Mile victory was accomplished in easy style, with jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr. allowing the gelding to ease up in the final sixteenth of a mile.

“It was a nice redemption,” said Forster. “He has consistently improved, and his confidence is at an all-time high. He's just a lovely horse, loves to train, loves attention, and loves people. As he's accomplished more he's gotten more proud of himself, and he thinks he's king of the world now!”

It's a good feeling heading into the Breeders' Cup, even with all the uncertainty of 2020.

Forster, a native of British Columbia, Canada, has long hoped for a shot at the top of the sport. A son of two Canadian horsemen, he attended the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program and began his career as a media relations specialist at Emerald Downs in 1997.

Three years later, Forster found himself really missing the day-to-day contact with horses and returned to working for his British Columbia Racing Hall of Fame father, Dave Forster, as a groom at Emerald. He worked his way up to assistant trainer and took out his own license in 2003.

Forster earned several leading trainer titles at Emerald and saddled the winners of three consecutive editions of the Washington Oaks, as well as the winner of the 2005 edition of the G3 Longacres Mile. He was also successful during winter meetings at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.

“I had some wonderful years there and trained for wonderful people,” Forster said. “I felt like I'd accomplished everything I could out there, though, so to me it was more exciting to be based in Kentucky.”

So far, the top horse in Forster's stable has been the 2008 mare Brushed By A Star, by Eddington. She was a $10,000 yearling at the Keeneland September sale, but earned $441,991 on the track with wins in the G2 Chilukki and G2 Molly Pitcher Stakes under Forster's care.

Still, Pirate's Punch has worked his way into Forster's heart in a way none of his previous trainees has been able to touch.

Pirate's Punch, Jorge Vargas Jr. aboard

“If I was a coach in high school basketball, he'd be my favorite player,” Forster admitted. “He's run well for us every time, just his consistency on the track is remarkable. He's also an unbelievably kind horse. He loves to work with people, he loves being around people. He just wants them to pet him, but not in any kind of needy way; he just is a very social horse.

“He lives in the first stall on the corner, nearest the office. He's an absolute savage for carrots! We go through many many bags of baby carrots each week, and we're more than happy to provide those for him.”

Pirate's Punch was first in training with Jeff Mullins in California, but moved to Forster's care after breaking his maiden for a $30,000 tag at Ellis Park in July of 2019. The gelding immediately stepped up to win an allowance race at Indiana Grand, then finished third in the G3 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

Now, Pirate's Punch has a record of five wins, three seconds, and four thirds from 17 starts for earnings of $332,751.

“We got him at just the right time,” Forster said. “He'd been gelded, broken his maiden and gained some confidence. He's just continued to improve ever since.

“When we got him, what he had accomplished and what he turned into, hopefully it's a strong commercial for our program.”

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Anothertwistafate Dominates Grade 3 Longacres Mile

Anothertwistafate made a triumphant return to action Thursday evening at Emerald Downs, returning from a 16-month layoff and powering to a 4½-length victory over Five Star General in the 85th running of the $100,000 Longacres Mile (G3).

Ridden by Juan Gutierrez at 118 lbs, Anothertwistafate ran the mile in 1:34.10 and paid $4.40, $2.80 and $2.60 as the betting favorite. Blaine Wright is the winning trainer for owner Peter Redekop of Vancouver, B.C.

It is the first Mile victory for Wright and Redekop—runner-up the last two years with Alert Bay and Anyportinastorm—and third Mile victory for Gutierrez, who swept both stakes Thursday and is just 13 wins from tying Gallyn Mitchell's all-time track record of 1,419 wins.

Stalking early fractions of :22.71, :45.21 and 1:08.74 set by Papa's Golden Boy, Anothertwistafate took command three deep into the stretch and drew off to win with total authority. It was the colt's first start since a 10th in the 2019 Preakness and capped a superb training job by Wright, 46, who brought Anothertwistafate into the race off a series of works at Golden Gate Fields.

“The first thing is to congratulate Mr. Peter Redekop and my entire crew here and at Golden Gate,” Wright said. “A Lot of people have asked me if this is the best horse I've trained, and he's been hot and cold with some health issues, but he's a very nice horse.”

Wright also praised Gutierrez who previously won the Mile on No Giveaway in 2005 and The Great Face in 2007.

“The race worked out just the way we scripted it this morning, Juan (Gutierrez) did a great job.” Wright said. “When we couldn't bring our rider (to Emerald Downs) there was no hesitation to ride Juan. He rode his 2,000th winner this year and is a great speed rider on this track. He fit this horse perfectly.”

A Kentucky-bred by Scat Daddy, Anothertwistafate earned $55,000 to push his career bankroll to $358,505. His overall mark is 4-2-0 in eight starts, including a victory in the El Camino Real Derby and seconds last year in the Sunland Derby and Keeneland's Lexington Stakes.

Canadian shipper Five Star General, ridden by two-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Mario Gutierrez at 122 lbs, finished a clear second and paid $3.20 and $2.60 as second choice in the wagering. The runner-up is owned and trained by Glen Todd, giving Vancouver owners the top two finishers in the 2020 Mile.

The Press, a 46 to 1 long shot ridden by Jennifer Whitaker at 114 lbs, rallied for third and paid $4.60 to show. Whitaker won the 2008 Mile on Wasserman and remains the only woman rider ever to win the race.

Elliott Bay, winner of the Mt. Rainier Stakes last month, rallied from last to finish fourth and was followed by Papa's Golden Boy, Makah Lane, La Waun, Hollywood Heat and Take Charge Deputy.

Eddie Martinez, rider of Elliott Bay, claimed foul against The Press, alleging interference into the backstretch, but the stewards made no change in the order of finish.

He's the Reason, 5 to 1 third choice on the morning line and stablemate of Five Star General, was scratched earlier in the day.

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‘Unconditional Love’: Thoroughbred Star Of Children’s Book Debuts Wednesday At Emerald Downs

Two years ago, owner Tim Floyd was able to connect his orphaned Thoroughbred colt with a mare who'd lost her own foal. The colt, sired by Haynesfield and called “Baby Haynes” during his formative years, inspired Floyd to record the story of his “adoption” by the nurse mare, according to the Seattle Times.

“People were telling me, 'You ought to think about writing a book,' ” Floyd said. “I decided to go the children's book route. I'm adopted myself, so it had a connection to me.”

The book, titled “Baby Haynes: A True Story About Adoption and Unconditional Love,” was published in April. Now, five months later, the colt is preparing to make his racing debut at Emerald Downs on Wednesday. His Jockey Club name? Myuddermamasapaint.

“It would be an incredible story to have him win his debut, just because of the book,” Floyd said. “It might lead to a second book if he's a stakes horse and he's really good.”

Anothertwistafate Returns From Layoff In Thursday’s Longacres Mile

Ten older horses led by Peter Redekop's Anothertwistafate have been entered in the $100,000 Longacres Mile (G3), to be run Thursday, Sept. 10, at Emerald Downs.

The 85th renewal of the Northwest's premier event goes as Race 8 at 8:30 p.m.

Unraced since a 10th in the 2019 Preakness, Anothertwistafate is the 8 to 5 morning line favorite in the Longacres Mile. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Scat Daddy, Anothertwistafate was among the nation's top 3-year-olds last year, finishing second in both the Sunland Derby (G3) and Lexington Stakes (G3) and winning the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby by seven lengths. Trained by Blaine Wright, Anothertwistafate is 3-2-0 in seven lifetime starts with $303,505 in earnings. The dark bay colt capped a strong series of works with a bullet six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 last Sunday at Golden Gate.

“Everything has gone well, our horse has worked lights out,” Wright said via phone from California. “His six furlong works are like a mile, he gallops out strongly.”

Wright has been the leading stakes trainer the last three seasons at Emerald Downs, amassing 30 stakes wins here since 2017. The Mile, however, has eluded his grasp. There have been some close calls, including runner-up finishes by Alert Bay in 2018 and Anyportinastorm, who missed by a head to Law Abidin Citizen in 2019.

Wright says winning the Longacres Mile is a big deal for anyone in Northwest racing.

“I think everyone involved in this race would say the same thing, that winning the Mile means a lot,” Wright said. “It means a lot to me, Mr. Redekop, and everyone in the race.”

Wright is adept at returning horses from layoffs, winning with 19 of 69 horses that have been sidelined 180 days or more. In 2018, Wright brought millionaire Alert Bay back from a 13-month break to finish second in the Longacres Mile.

Anothertwistafate drew the No. 4 post-position and will be ridden by two-time Longacres Mile-winning jockey Juan Gutierrez.

Five Star General and He's the Reason, both from Canada, are 9 to 2 and 5 to 1 on the morning line. Five Star General captured the 2019 British Columbia Derby and is two for two at a mile, while He's the Reason is a multiple stakes winner in Vancouver. Both are owned and trained by Glen Todd, whose Princess of Cairo stunned previously unbeaten Daffodil Sweet in the Washington Oaks earlier this week.

Five Star General, co starting high-weight with He's the Reason at 122 lbs., is ridden by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Mario Gutierrez, two for two in the Mile with wins on Taylor Said in 2012 and Point Piper in 2016.

Elliott Bay at 8 to 1 appears the top local threat. The lone returnee from the 2019 Longacres Mile, the 5-year-old Harbor the Gold gelding is unbeaten in two starts at the meet and also boasts the track's hottest connections. Eddie Martinez leads all jockeys with four stakes wins in 2020 while trainer Frank Lucarelli and owners Chad Christensen and Josh McKee have combined for four stakes wins at the meet: two by 2-year-old filly sensation Time for Gold and one each by Elliott Bay and Gold Crusher, the latter taking the $40,000 Muckleshoot Derby earlier this week.

Papa's Golden Boy and Take Charge Deputy, second and third to Elliott Bay in the Mt. Rainier, are 10 to 1 and 12 to 1. For sheer speed, Papa's Golden Boy is the fastest horse at Emerald Downs. His quarter and half-mile fractions in three races this year are otherworldly: :21 1/5 & 44 1/5 , :21 1/5 & :43 1/5, :21 3/5 & :43. The question, of course, is distance. Thursday will be his first try around two turns, but it was encouraging that younger brother Gold Crusher easily won the Muckleshoot Derby at a mile and sixteenth. In two starts this year, Take Charge Deputy defeated Barkley in an allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs and finished third in the Mt. Rainier at 6 1/2 furlongs. A 5-year-old gelding, Take Charge Deputy is three for six at the distance including a victory in the final edition of the Portland Meadows Mile.

Makah Lane, La Waun, The Press and Hollywood Heat all figure to go off at big odds.

Makah Lane won the one-mile Washington Cup Sophomore as a 3-year-old and began this year with a sharp allowance win opening day, but failed to fire while finishing fifth in the Mt. Rainier. La Waun is a a hard-hitting 5-year-old with 10 wins from 36 starts, but The Mile represents a big step up in class and his lone route win was vs. $12,500 claimers on a synthetic surface.

The Press is sharp and can get the distance; he beat Mach One Rules at a mile in the 2016 Washington Cup. He also is stepping up in class, but trainer Howard Belvoir has won the Longacres Mile three times at Emerald Downs. Hollywood Heat produced a $105.60 upset in allowance company last month, but was drilled by Elliott Bay on July 2 and has never raced farther than six furlongs.

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