Hopeful Stakes

The New York Times is reporting that Forte (Violence), the Kentucky Derby favorite who was scratched on the morning of the race with a bruised right front hoof, failed a drug test after his win in last September's Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga. Forte won the Hopeful by three lengths over a muddy track at odds of 6-1. In a story published Tuesday just after 7 p.m., the Times writes, "Shortly after leaving the winner's circle, however, Forte was given a post-race drug test, which he failed but has yet to...

Making his fifth career start and his first in Group 1 company in Wednesday's G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama, Dura Erede (Jpn) parlayed a close fourth-place finish last out in the G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. on Nov. 19 to claim victory at odds of 89-1 by a nose over 17-1 outsider and pacesetter Top Knife (Jpn). The colt received a stalking trip to the outside of the frontrunner for the first mile before reaching even terms with his leading rival at the top of the stretch. After falling...

After a youth spent around horses, Amy Moore took a three-decade long sabbatical from the sport to focus on a career in law, but she is making up for lost time with the launch of her South Gate Farm in Millwood, Virginia. The fledgling operation has a star-in-the-making in 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence), who goes postward in Monday's GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga, and will follow up the following Monday when that colt's half-brother by Uncle Mo (hip 11) goes through the sales ring during the first session of...

Nasser Bin Omairah's Mo Strike (Uncle Mo), winner of Saturday's GIII Sanford S., will likely make his next start in the Sept. 5 GI Hopeful S., trainer Brad Cox confirmed Sunday. "He's great and looks fantastic. I think the right thing to do, from a timing standpoint, is to look at the Hopeful and work our way back from there," Cox said Sunday. "I think we'll skip the [Aug. 13 GII] Saratoga Special, because it's asking a lot of him and this gives him more time. We brought him back...

As the agent for the powerful partnership of Mike Repole's Repole Stable and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias (involved in $10,435,000 worth of Keeneland September '20 expenditures, mostly together on Classic-leaning colts); the buyer for upper-market players Robert and Lawana Low ($1,535,000 on four head last September); and in his role as Vice President, Bloodstock for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (part of $4,267,000 in buys at KEESEP '20 including the $2-million topper), there aren't many, if any, agents with more money behind them these days than Jacob West. Considering Eclipse partnered on...