Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has assembled his Breeders’ Cup horses at Keeneland, where a dozen of his potential starters breezed Oct. 19 in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park.
Forte , owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, was not among his horses that breezed Thursday. Co-owner Mike Repole announced the Violence colt’s retirement Thursday afternoon. He heads to stud next year at Spendthrift Farm, Repole said.
Forte, last year’s champion 2-year-old male, has been dealing with a quarter crack, Repole indicated. The 3-year-old last raced Aug. 26, finishing fourth in the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Ehalt: Forte Retired; Headed to Stud at Spendthrift Farm
Heading Pletcher’s dozen workers at Keeneland was Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) contender Bright Future , who went five furlongs in 1:01 2/5. Also working five furlongs for a possible Breeders’ Cup start was Charge It , who covered the distance in 1:01 1/5.
“We originally were going to work all of our (Breeders’ Cup) Saturday horses tomorrow, but with rain in the forecast for tomorrow, we moved it up a day,” Pletcher told Keeneland publicity. “It was a good morning, and I was pleased with all the works. They did what we wanted them to.”
Recent grade 1 winners at Keeneland—Up to the Mark , Candied , and Locked —recorded half-mile breezes Thursday.
Pletcher plans to give his runners one more breeze at Keeneland Oct. 26 or Oct. 27 before they travel to California Oct. 28.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
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