In May, it was a hoof bruise that kept Eclipse Award winner Forte out of the Kentucky Derby. Now, the 3-year-old son of Violence is battling a quarter crack in his left front foot, just over one month ahead of a tilt at the Breeders' Cup Classic.
According to a report in the Daily Racing Form, the crack has been patched and Forte is currently galloping at Churchill Downs. Trainer Todd Pletcher has not breezed Forte since prior to the colt's fourth-place finish in the G1 Travers, but hopes to have enough time to get in three works before the $6 million Classic.
“Just trying to get everything right before we start breezing,” Pletcher told DRF. “I think we're still in position to get a couple of good breezes into him, but we got to get this in proper shape before we start doing that.”
Forte, who began the year with wins in the Fountain of Youth (G1) and Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, finished second to Arcangelo in the Belmont and went into the Travers off a gutsy nose triumph in the Jim Dandy (G2) July 29 at Saratoga. In 2022, Forte earned Eclipse Award honors after completing a juvenile season which saw three Grade 1 victories, including the seven-furlong Hopeful at Saratoga before stretching out to two turns in the Breeders' Futurity and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, both at Keeneland.
Overall, Forte's record stands at seven wins from 10 starts with earnings of $3,029,830.
Read more at the Daily Racing Form.
The post ‘We Got To Get This In Proper Shape’: Team Forte Dealing With Quarter Crack Amidst Preparations For BC Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
