Last week, owner Mike Repole watched Forte, his reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, overcome multiple obstacles to capture the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. On Saturday, Repole will attempt to accrue more spots in the Kentucky Derby starting gate when his maidens Dreamlike [post 1, Jose Ortiz, 7-2ML] and Crupi [post 9, Kendrick Carmouche, 12-1ML] take on a stacked field in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The nine-furlong test is the final local qualifier on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and awards the top-five finishers points based off a 100-40-30-20-10 scale.
Like Forte, both Crupi and Dreamlike are owned in partnership with Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable and trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, who seeks a standalone record eighth Wood Memorial score.
Crupi, who is named in honor of the late bloodstock agent and consigner James “J.J.” Crupi, holds sentimental value for Repole. The late horseman owned Crupi's New Castle Farm in Ocala, Florida, and his pre-training and breaking facility was once home to Repole's 2010 Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Uncle Mo as well as Viola's Liam's Map – a multiple Grade 1-winner and producer. Crupi also broke Repole and Viola's Vino Rosso, who was named 2019 Champion Older Horse.
“Both Vinnie and I used Crupi together and separately,” Repole said. “The first horse Jimmy got for me was Uncle Mo. For Vinnie, the best horse he got him was Liam's Map. Together, one of the last horses Jimmy got for us was Vino Rosso. We owned him together and he had a great career and ended it at the highest possible level in the Breeders' Cup Classic, winning by almost five lengths.”
The equine Crupi, a Curlin colt, is out of the Malibu Moon mare Don'tforgetaboutme – a half-sister to graded stakes winners Red Ruby and Mo Tom as well as multiple Grade 1-placed Beautician. He was bought for $275,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Repole said Crupi was an unforgettable man and that naming this particular horse in his honor was fitting.
“I saw the mare's name was Don'tforgetaboutme. One of the last horses he picked out for us was Vino Rosso, who was by Curlin, and I thought Crupi would be the perfect name,” Repole said. “Not a lot of people would forget about Crupi and his impact he's had on the game and the impact he's had on both Vinnie and I. Not only was Crupi a great horseman, but he was a lot of fun. He had a big personality and was one of the best storytellers in horse racing.”
While neither of Repole's contenders has reached the winner's circle yet, they both have run against salty company through the maiden ranks.
Crupi was third to eventual Kentucky Derby point-earners Disarm and Instant Coffee in his first two starts going seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course. After finishing third when stretching out to a one-turn mile at the Big A, Crupi was runner-up to fellow Wood Memorial aspirant Classic Catch going nine furlongs in November before cutting back to a one-turn mile to finish a game second to Wood entrant Slip Mahoney here in January. He was most recently a distant seventh in the Grade 2 Risen Star on February 18 at Fair Grounds Race Course.
Although less seasoned than his stablemate, Dreamlike has still covered plenty of ground in two runner-up efforts at Gulfstream Park. Last out, traveling 1 1/16-miles on March 11, Dreamlike came under coaxing by Jose Ortiz around the far turn and took command nearing upper stretch, but was unable to stave off a late inside rally from longshot Empirestrikesfast. The son of Gun Runner garnered a 91 Beyer Speed Figure – a field-best number that has only been matched by 5-2 morning line favorite Hit Show, who drew the outermost post 13.
Bred in Kentucky by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Dreamlike is out of the Tapit mare Time to Tap – a full-sister to 2014 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Untapable. He was a $975,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
“It's an opportunity to get another horse into the Derby in a $750,000 race,” said Repole, who garnered Wood glory with Outwork [2016] and Vino Rosso [2018]. “Crupi lost to a really good horse by a head in Slip Mahoney at Aqueduct, so we know he likes the track and we know he'll like the mile and an eighth. Dreamlike has run two great races with great numbers, but has been second. But with one horse being by Gun Runner and the other being by Curlin, we know the distance will not be an issue. We're excited about the opportunity to run both of these maidens in a big race.”
Repole said he was not surprised to see Dreamlike, who drew the rail and will add blinkers, listed as the second choice on the morning line.
“He has some of the fastest speed numbers in the race,” Repole said. “He was a little green in both of his starts. Todd has worked him in blinkers twice, which he will wear for the race. He got a good post, he's training well. We're hoping to break his maiden in a Grade 2 for $750,000.”
Repole said Forte's Florida Derby victory – with a perfect ride engineered by Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 11-of-12 – is a performance that he won't soon forget.
“At the eighth pole, I was hoping to get third and we ended up winning the race. Everything was thrown his way, from the post, to being back, to dirt in his face, being wide. But he just showed the heart of a champion that day,” Repole recalled. “It looked like he was just going to get third, but then if you blinked, you missed the ground he made up in the last 100 yards. He just leveled out and made up probably a half-length for each stride. After all that he went through, not only did he win, but he did so by a half-length which was pretty amazing. The great ones can do that and give you an amazing once in a lifetime experience.”
Last year, Repole crossed a major race off his list when Mo Donegal captured the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets over fellow Repole color-bearer Nest. With a Belmont Stakes triumph under wraps, Repole now has his sights set on winning the “Run for the Roses.”
“The ability to run one horse in the Derby is a dream; to have the favorite is another dream, but to win it is a whole other dream,” Repole said. “But we all know there's 20 horses in the race, and last year number 21 drew in off the also-eligible list and wins at 80-1. The Derby is the one race where you never know. I'd love to run both of these horses, so a Dreamlike-Crupi exacta in the Wood would be pretty good. One of them would have to go to the Derby as a maiden, but I've done crazier things. I've been in this game for 15 years. I always tell people, I don't want the Derby favorite, I want the Derby winner. It all starts with these preps and it gets real exciting this time of year.
“Nobody is enjoying being in the sport as an owner more than me and it all comes full circle,” Repole continued. “I started as a kid that cut school to go to Aqueduct Racetrack and 40 years later I'm running in the biggest races, not only in New York, but in the United States. The Kentucky Derby is now the ultimate goal. People used to ask me, 'Is it true you want to win the Belmont over the Derby?' and I would say, 'I want both, but if I could only have one, I want to win the Belmont.' Thanks to Mo Donegal last year I won the Belmont and Nest ran a great second in the same race. That was beyond my wildest dreams.”
The post Wood Memeorial: Mike Repole Chasing More Derby Dreams With Maidens Crupi, Dreamlike appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
