Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte , the champion 2-year-old male of 2022, has been retired from racing and will begin a career as a stallion at Spendthrift Farm next year, according to co-owner Mike Repole.
Repole said the 3-year-old had developed a quarter crack coming out of the Aug. 26 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and that trainer Todd Pletcher said following an Oct. 19 gallop at Keeneland that they had “run out of time” to prepare him for the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
The son of Violence crossed the wire first in seven of 10 starts for Pletcher. But he endured a tumultuous 3-year-old season that included being scratched by regulatory veterinarians on the day of the Kentucky Derby (G1) when he was the morning-line favorite and a ruling five days later that the colt was disqualified after testing positive for the anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal meloxicam following his victory in the 2022 Hopeful Stakes (G1). That decision is currently under appeal.
Equibase lists Forte as having earned $3,029,830, first across the finish in four grade 1s. His earnings would dip $165,000 if the disqualification from the Hopeful is upheld.
After the Kentucky Derby debacle, Forte ran in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and finished second despite not racing in 10 weeks. He then won the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and finished fourth as the 8-5 favorite in the Travers Stakes (G1) in what proved to be his final race.
Speculation that Forte would be retired was rampant in recent weeks as the son of the Blame mare Queen Caroline did not record a timed workout since the Aug. 26 Travers.
Bred by South Gate Farm in Kentucky, he was purchased for $110,000 from the Eaton Sales consignment at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
He won his career debut and then finished fourth in the Sanford Stakes (G3). His victory in the Hopeful was a springboard to wins in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) that cemented an Eclipse Award as the division champion.
The dark bay colt started 2023 with wins in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and Florida Derby (G1), which made him a favorite for the opening leg of the Triple Crown.
This story will be updated.
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