Forte, trained by Todd Pletcher, set to make Triple Crown debut in Belmont Stakes
Forte in his stable after his morning workout at Belmont Park on Tuesday ahead of Saturday's Belmont Stakes. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
An unexpectedly long layoff has not cooled the bettors’ faith in Forte.
The Todd Pletcher-trained horse will make his Triple Crown debut in Saturday’s 155th Belmont Stakes as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. This despite being a late scratch from the Kentucky Derby on May 6 because of a bruise on his right front hoof and also skipping the Preakness two weeks later.
Forte, who has not run since a two-length victory over Kentucky Derby-winner Mage in the Florida Derby on April 1, will break from Belmont’s sixth post as determined during Tuesday’s post position draw at the racetrack.
“You have to expect him to be a fit horse,” Pletcher said. “It’s 10 weeks between races but he had a great foundation leading into that and he hasn’t missed much training. His breezes here have been quite good. It wasn’t ideal the way we got here but it’s how it’s unfolded.”
The Belmont has a nine-horse field with Preakness-winner National Treasure listed at 5-1 and breaking from the fourth post. Angel of Empire, who finished third at the Kentucky Derby, was listed at 7-2 out of the eighth post. Tapit Trice, who finished seventh at the Kentucky Derby and is also trained by Pletcher, was listed at 3-1 from the second post.
“He did win the Blue Grass (at Keeneland on April 8) from the one-hole and the key is getting out and into position,” Pletcher said of Tapit Trice. “If we can get him into a good position and into a good rhythm, I think he’s going to like the mile and a half.”
Tapit Shoes, one of three Brad Cox-trained horses in the Belmont will break from the rail at 20-1.
Mage is not running at Belmont, meaning no horse will compete in all three Triple Crown legs this year.
Forte was the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Derby before the state veterinarian ruled him a late scratch. It was a bit of déjà vu for Forte’s co-owner Mike Repole, who grew up in Queens.
Repole also had a stake in Uncle Mo, who was the favorite heading into the 2011 Kentucky Derby before being a race-day scratch because of a liver ailment.
“(Forte) didn’t run in the Derby but he hasn’t missed any training,” Repole said. “It works out. We still think this is the best 3-year-old in the crop and I think on Saturday he’s going to prove that. I think I might be the only owner to have scratched two Derby favorites ever. Most owners don’t get the highs so the lows are part of the game.”
The Bob Baffert-trained National Treasure breezed five furlongs in 59.55 seconds on the main track on Monday and he’ll mark the Hall of Famer’s first Belmont Stakes entry since winning the Triple Crown with Justify in 2018.
Baffert, whose one-year suspension in New York for repeated medication violations ended on Jan. 25, has won 17 Triple Crown races in all. Baffert’s assistant trainer, Jimmy Barnes, said he is fine with National Treasure breaking from the fourth post.
“We wanted an inside-type post so post four should be perfect for him,” Barnes said. “At a mile and a half, it’s not that big a concern. Most of the Belmonts we’ve won, our horse has been up close. So I’d say that’s where he’ll probably be.”
Rounding out the field are Arcangelo, listed at 8-1 from the third post, Hit Show, listed at 10-1 from the seventh post, Il Miracolo, listed at 30-1 from the fifth post, and Red Route One, listed at 15-1 from the ninth post.
Post time is 7:02 p.m.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
