Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Kentucky-bred Forte will seek to solidify his standing as the top-rated Triple Crown candidate in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, April 1.

The 2022 Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Male drew on the far outside in post position No. 11 for the Florida Derby and has been installed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the field of 12 entered for the 1 1/8-mile test. It is the largest Florida Derby field since 2008 when Big Brown defeated 11 rivals.

Forte, trained by Todd Pletcher, made an auspicious seasonal bow on March 4, taking the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park by a dominating 4 ½ lengths. The son of Violence captured three straight Grade 1 races to conclude his championship season last year at two, including a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland at season’s end.

“The Fountain of Youth couldn’t have gone any better for us,” said Pletcher. “As you know, a lot of times when the gate opens things can change and you have to be prepared to adjust to that, but really the race unfolded almost exactly the way we thought it would, and we were in exactly the position we hoped we would be. The real key is when called upon, he was there.”

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who has been aboard Forte in all six career starts, has the mount for the Florida Derby.

“Irad’s gotten to know the coly really well,” Pletcher shared. “He’s rode him in every start, and he’s also worked him quite a few times. I think part of what we’ve been trying to do in the mornings is sort of replicate his running style, sitting off a horse just a little bit and then teaching him to finish up and kind of stay focused. As impressively as he’s won a couple of these races, he’s kind of come to the wire with his ears up taking everything in. Obviously, as these races get a little more difficult, he’ll need to stay focused.”

Having already secured sufficient points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby (G1), Forte and the rivals he faces in the Florida Derby will be eligible for 200 qualifying points that will be shared by the first five finishers with 100 going to the winner.

Bred in Kentucky by South Gate Farm, Forte is a winner in five of six starts and has banked $1,833,230.