All the pre-race hype swirled around the Bob Baffert trainee Cave Rock (Arrogate), however, it was Forte (c, 2, Violence–Queen Caroline, by Blame) who lived up to his name, besting a pair of Baffert runners to establish himself the early Kentucky Derby favorite with a win in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland Friday. 2-5 favorite Cave Rock shot out to the lead early, wrestling 70-1 longshot Hurricaene J (Nyquist) into second as Forte assumed a slightly wide stalking position. As the pacesetter zipped through early splits, the GI Hopeful and GI Breeders' Futurity winner continued to bide his time in behind. Noticeably picking up the tempo while sweeping around the home turn, the Todd Pletcher trainee overtook Cave Rock midstretch and spurted clear, crossing the wire two lengths in front. Fellow Baffert trainee National Treasure (Quality Road) rounded out the trifecta. Final time for the 1 1/16-mile test was 1:43.06. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $1,755,150. O-Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable. B-South Gate Farm. T-Todd Pletcher.
Friday, Keeneland
FANDUEL BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE PRESENTED BY THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE-GI, $1,840,000, Keeneland, 11-4, 2yo, c/g, 1 1/16m, 1:43.06, ft.
1–FORTE, 122, c, 2, by Violence
1st Dam: Queen Caroline (MSW, $401,608), by Blame
2nd Dam: Queens Plaza, by Forestry
3rd Dam: Kew Garden, by Seattle Slew
'TDN Rising Star' ($80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable & St Elias Stable; B-Southgate Farm (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz Jr. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $1,595,150. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cave Rock, 122, c, 2, Arrogate–Georgie's Angel, by Bellamy Road. 'TDN Rising Star' ($210,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $550,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Michael E Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman; B-Anne & Ronnie Sheffer Racing LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $340,000.
3–National Treasure, 122, c, 2, Quality Road–Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro. ($500,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC & Catherine Donovan; B-Peter E Blum Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $180,000.
Margins: 1HF, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 5.02, 0.47, 8.00.
Also Ran: Blazing Sevens, Curly Jack, Verifying, Hurricane J, Congruent, Wound Up, Lost Ark. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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