Kentucky-breds flexed their muscles on Future Stars Friday at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships with Forte winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Wonder Wheel capturing the Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte swept past odds-on and previously undefeated Cave Rock at the sixteenth pole en route to posting a 1 1/2 length score in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.06.
A Kentucky-bred son of Violence out of the Blame mare Queen Caroline, Forte is now a three-time Grade 1 winner. Bred by South Gate Farm and a $110,000 graduate of the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, Forte now has earnings of more than $1.5 million.
“Obviously delighted with everything,” Todd Pletcher said. “He got a beautiful trip. Just kept coming. He got that two-turn experience (in the Breeders’ Futurity) and it paid off today. He’s much more professional today.”
D J Stable’s Wonder Wheel delivered another dominant performance in winning the $2 million Juvenile Fillies (G1) for trainer Mark Casse. Tyler Gaffilione piloted the daughter of Into Mischief who had captured the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland in her previous start.
Racing in 11th position early, Wonder Wheel rallied strongly around the far turn and through the stretch to reel in the pacesetters on her away to a dominating three-length score over Leave No Trace. She covered the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:44.90
“I think the performance was amazing by Tyler and Wonder Wheel,” said Mark Casse. “They were both dealt a tough hand. Things didn’t go as planned. Obviously, we figured we would be up a little closer early. She didn’t break running like she has in the past, and she just put in an amazing trip. She proved that she is truly a champion and she’s not just good on one day.”
Produced from the Tiz Wonderful mare Wonder Gal, Wonder Wheel was a $275,000 graduate of the 2021 Keeneland September Sale. She was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm and Clearsky Farm, and she has banked more than $1.5 million in her young career.