Repole Stables

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's morning-line favorite Forte (Violence) was scratched from the GI Kentucky Derby on Saturday at 9 a.m. ET by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission state veterinarian, Churchill Downs said in a press release Saturday. After Forte jogged on the track this morning, a lengthy discussion ensued with state veterinarians, co-owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher. Repole said that they were concerned about a bruised right front foot that was sustained during training on Wednesday. Upon further examination of the foot in question, the Derby...

5th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 3-12, 3yo, 7 1/2fT, 1:29.34, fm, 2 1/2 lengths. FEARLESS SOLDIER (c, 3, City of Light--Hessie's Girl, by Giant's Causeway) had something of a rough debut Feb. 16 when he tossed his head at the jump and hopped coming out of the stall. Racing all over the synthetic track from there, as far as seven wide in the stretch before lugging in through the final furlong, he finished a very green fourth but producing a field-best Beyer Speed Figure of 74. Cutting back from that 1m70 contest...

Mike Repole, the co-owner of champion and recent GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Forte, was effusive in his praise for the Kentucky Derby hopeful on this week's TDN Writers' Room.

'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence)'s dominant sophomore debut in Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream is understandably going to generate glowing headlines because of his kingpin status as the comebacking divisional champion. But that sharp win shouldn't overshadow the thoroughly convincing GII San Felipe S. score by Practical Move (Practical Joke) at Santa Anita, which on its own terms was emphatic enough to merit a significant reshuffling of the deck of GI Kentucky Derby contenders. The Fountain of Youth S. has evolved into somewhat of a "trap" race...

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Forte (Violence) completed his preparation for his 2023 debut in next Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.99 Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. "Last week was the work we wanted to make sure that we were on target," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "We got a good strong work into him. We got a good work today, but after last week, we weren't looking for him to do too much. We're right on schedule and think...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 6th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 1mT, 2:37p.m. ET Richard Schermerhorn's $390,000 OBSAPR purchase LADY BETH (Hard Spun) will be unveiled on what looks like a very active Sunday of racing across the country. Drawn toward the middle in this Gulfstream maiden, she is the first registered foal for her dam, the Werthemier et Frere-bred and West Point-campaigned Boreale (Makfi {GB}); four times stakes-placed in her career in America as well as a multiple winner in France. This is the female family of MGSW Interactif (Broken...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-GP, $84k, Msw, 3yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 2:10p.m. ET The powerhouse partnership of Repole and St Elias Stables will send out $450,000 FTKOCT purchase SASSINESS (Uncle Mo) in this turf maiden. A half to Canadian Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old colt Up With the Birds (Stormy Atlantic) as well as 9-time winner, SW Speightsong (Speightstown), the filly also claims three other winning half-siblings. This is the female line of Canadian champion older mare, GISW Wilderness Song (Wild Again), whose own half-sister Sound the...

5th-AQU, $85k, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:46p.m. ET Purchased for an eye-catching $825,000 from KEESEP by Mike Ryan for CHP Racing, MODERN LOVE (Curlin) will look to justify that price here against a well-connected field of maidens. The half-sister to GISW Competitionofideas (Speightstown) hails from a winning family line--the second and third dams claim 17 winners immediately beneath them, combined, and six with black-type. Her Chad Brown-trained stablemate Ana's Gun (Gun Runner) will also carry a flashy pedigree in her maiden voyage; being the half sister to GI Breeders'...

A day after working many of his 2-year-olds expected for the Future Stars Friday races during the Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov 4. at Keeneland, trainer Todd Pletcher breezed his older horses Friday. The trio, led by MGISW Life Is Good (Into Mischief), champion Malathaat (Curlin), and MGISW winner Nest (Curlin), are expected to compete in the Breeders' Cup Nov. 5. Shortly after 9 am, CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's GI Breeders' Cup Classic candidate Life Is Good breezed five furlongs on a fast track in 1:00.40 for his first...

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) left little doubt who the best 3-year-old filly in the country is with a second straight tour-de-force victory over GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Oath (Arrogate) in Saturday's GI Alabama S. at Saratoga. The overwhelming 1-5 favorite wasn't off to the smoothest of beginnings, bobbling slightly and bumping with longshot Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) at the start. It didn't seem to matter one bit once the 1 1/4-mile journey was officially underway with Nest finding a perfect spot in a stalking...

5th-DMR, $80k, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 7:04p.m. ET Hronis Racing LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing LLC have partnered up to unveil the latest blue-blooded colt by Justify, this one named HAWKER. Shelling out a cool $675,000 for him at KEESEP, his pedigree warrants the implied expectations: out of GSP Flaming Heart (Touch Gold), it makes Hawker a half to GISP & MGSW Commissioner (A.P. Indy), GISP & GSW Laugh Track (Distorted Humor), and to the dam of MGISW Vino Rosso (Curlin). All three of the colt's closest female line...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-SA, $67k, Msw, 3yo/up, f, 6f, 8:00 p.m. ET Four-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder (Henny Hughes) will be represented by another firster at the races, this time via Karin With an I (Curlin). The daughter of the supermare debuts a few days after her 4-year-old half-brother Q B One (Uncle Mo)'s third-place effort at second asking here Mar. 27 for their shared connections of Spendthrift Farm and trainer Richard Mandella. Karin With an I worked the day before that race, posting a six-furlong move over...