Forte

According to the rulings page of the New York State Gaming Commission, trainer Todd Pletcher began serving a 10-day suspension Thursday. The suspension stems from the 2022 GI Hopeful Stakes when the Pletcher-trained Forte (Violence) tested positive for Meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Pletcher has denied using the medication with Forte. The Gaming Commission also ruled that Forte was officially disqualified from the Hopeful victory. The news from the Gaming Commission led owner Mike Repole to post a long and scathing tweet on X. "The New York State Gaming Commission @NYSGamingComm...

The New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division has ruled against trainer Todd Pletcher in his appeal of a 10-day suspension and $1,000 fine he received after Forte (Violence) tested positive for Meloxicam in the 2022 GI Hopeful Stakes. A separate matter, regarding whether or not Forte should be disqualified, is still pending. It was not immediately clear whether or not Pletcher would have to begin serving his suspension. In May of 2023, it was announced that Forte had tested positive for what is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. Pletcher issued...

Amy Moore, who owns and operates South Gate Farm in Virginia's northern Shenandoah Valley, went to $300,000 on Tuesday afternoon to acquire Neom Beach (Omaha Beach) (hip 1) as the topper out of the Fasig-Tipton February Digital sale. The breeder said she is always looking to add to her broodmare band and went online to see what she could unearth. It worked out by the time the 'shot clock' wound down. "Fasig-Tipton has a great platform, especially for broodmares and broodmare prospects," said Moore. "You're not trying to evaluate whether...

The air is getting thinner now, as we explore those stallions standing between $30,000 and $59,999, but this penultimate instalment of our series does open access to genuine elite quality. Several in this range have a proven ability to sire horses who go on, in turn, to take a lucrative place at stud; and a number, within that group, have reached a stage in their careers where their fees have been cut temptingly within reach. Take MACLEAN'S MUSIC. Doubling his fee to $50,000 for 2022--after two sons contested the finish...

The GI Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes is carded as the anchor for Monday's Labor Day festivities, which marks the last set of races for the season upstate. A scan through the past winners of the top-level affair over the past 25 years include a strong list of future sires. How about for starters Sky Mesa (2002), First Samurai (2005), Shanghai Bobby (2012) and Competitive Edge (2014)? More recently Practical Joke (2016), Mind Control (2018), Basin (2019), Jackie's Warrior (2020), Gunite (2021) and Forte (2022) got their picture taken before heading...

6th-Santa Anita, $61,000, Msw, 5-10, 3, 4,/5yo, 6 1/2f, 1:14.98, ft, 1 1/4 lengths. SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN (r, 3, Mitole--Midnight Magic, by Midnight Lute), a $250,000 yearling turned $750,000 2-year-old, faced older rivals Saturday on debut for Bob Baffert including well-met stablemate Sierra Silver (Game Winner) who was last third behind 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Preakness Stakes entrant Goal Oriented (Not This TIme). Showing speed from an outside draw, the 7-2 second choice led from the first jump, rationing his speed ahead of his stablemate through fractions of :22.08 and...

Albaugh Family Stables and Castleton Lyons's Cyclone Mischief (Into Mischief--Areyoucominghere, by Bernardini), third to 'TDN Rising Star' and champion Forte (Violence) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby and GII Fountain of Youth Stakes in 2022, will enter stud at Haras Don Florentino in Argentina for the 2025 breeding season, Turf Diario reported on Friday. Bred in Kentucky by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, Cyclone Mischief cost $450,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale and won two of his first four starts for trainer Dale Romans, including a 5 3/4-length allowance...

3rd-Keeneland, $108,925, Msw, 4-9, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:11.45, ft, 1/2 length. DR. PARK (c, 4, Uncle Mo--Queen Caroline {MSW, $401,608}, by Blame) debuted in California for then-trainer John Shirreffs, weakening to fourth in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint Jan. 25. Shipping to Keeneland under new direction from Peter Eurton, the half-brother to 2-year-old champion Forte (Violence) drew outside as one of the more inexperienced runners in the scratched-down field of six. Lacking much early foot, the 3-5 favorite was outrun in the opening furlong by a trio of runners to his inside...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA)and Spendthrift Farm have entered a multi-year agreement for the stallion operation to serve as the title sponsor of the $300,000 GI Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes, announced NYRA Friday morning. The seven-panel dirt sprint for juveniles anchors the closing day program of the 40-day summer meeting Monday, Sept. 1 at Saratoga. One of the oldest races for 2-year-olds, the Hopeful had its inaugural running in 1903, and several winners of the contest would go on to enjoy victory in the GI Belmont Stakes, including the...

2nd-GP, 94K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 11:30 a.m. Gulfstream Park will kick off it's Pegasus World Cup card with a pair of classy maiden special weight races headlined by DISRUPTOR (Gun Runner), a $1,150,000 KEESEP yearling out of the Todd Pletcher barn for the partnership group of Repole Stable, Spendthrift Farm, Big Easy Racing, Titletown Racing, Winners Win, Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich and Mark Parkinson. The chestnut, out of a full-sister to MGSW Bridgetown (Speightstown), put in a drill at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 18, going four furlongs from the gate...

A filly born at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington, Kentucky is the first reported foal for champion 2-year-old colt Forte (Violence). Gravy (Collected--Flawless Diamond, by Saint Ballado), a $160,000 2024 Keeneland November purchase by Darby Dan client Gary Holland for Kamden Favorites, had a dark bay filly Jan. 8 at 6:00 p.m. ET. "She is a flashy filly with plenty of leg, we are thrilled with the result, especially as this is the mare's first foal," said Darby Dan Farm Manager Charlie McKinlay. Forte, named a 'TDN Rising Star' and...

First let's salute two horses in this category just emerging from surely the most competitive freshman title race ever. The lead changed hands between both, as well as McKinzie (now $75,000), through the final hours of 2024, with VEKOMA ultimately seizing the crown--partly through belated processing of a son in Panama--by $22,939 from McKinzie, with TIZ THE LAW breathing down their necks $9,334 behind. In fact, his "extra" winner gave Vekoma a share of the North American record of 39 first-crop juvenile winners. Admittedly he was working from corresponding volume,...