Forte, who is currently the early favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, is an important horse for the state of Viriginia. He was bred by Virginia Thoroughbred Association President Amy Moore and spent much of his upbringing at her South Gate Farm in Millwood, VA. He is currently sitting at 7-2 odds; we will be cheering for him in the “Run for the Roses on Saturday May 6th.”
Forte has won his last 5 races all of which were grade 1 stakes, with the exception of the grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He has won 6 of the 7 races he has ran in his career, earning an astonishing $2,409,830 in purses. He has notable victories in Derby preps such as the Hopeful Stakes in Saratoga, The Claiborne Breeders Futurity at Keeneland, The FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile also at Keeneland, and Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.
The Kentucky Derby can be wagered on at all Rosie’s locations around the Commonwealth, at the Virginia Gold Cup, Buckets Bar & Grill in Chesapeake, Breakers Sports Grill in Henrico, TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, Twinspires.com, NYRABets.com, and for the first time ever Kentucky Derby wagering will be available at Shenandoah Downs Harness Track in Woodstock, VA.
Originally posted on 4/17/2023 on thoroughbreddailynews.com
St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable’s GI Kentucky Derby favorite Forte (Violence) arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday following a 14-hour van ride from trainer Todd Pletcher’s winter base of Palm Beach Downs in South Florida. Last year’s champion juvenile colt bedded down in his barn 39 and joined fellow Derby hopefuls Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo) and Tapit Trice (Tapit), both who arrived in Louisville on Sunday.
Forte, who won last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and G1 Hopeful S. before being honored with the Eclipse Award, has won both the GII Fountain of Youth S. and GI Curlin Florida Derby in both starts this year.