Forte (outside) breezes in preparation for the Travers (NYRA/Coglianese)
Nest Works for G1 Personal Ensign
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher’s two contenders for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, multiple graded stakes-winners Forte and Tapit Trice, each recorded their final works on Saturday in preparation for next weekend’s prestigious 1 1/4-mile test for sophomores at Saratoga Race Course.
Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Forte, who did not wear blinkers for his work last week, wore blinkers once again in his latest breeze when covering a half-mile in 50.50 seconds in company with three-time winning 4-year-old colt Bright Future. A last-out winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at the Spa, Forte covered the same distance last week in 48.33.
“He looked super, was moving really well and got into a nice rhythm,” said Pletcher, who vies for his third Travers win. “Sometimes if you put them [blinkers] on all the time, you lose a little effect. We were just looking to keep him as good as he is going into this. We got a good, steady work and a good strong gallop out. He was well within himself throughout and I think he’s moving terrific. He seems really happy, so we’re trying to just keep him happy.”
A four-time Grade 1-winner, Forte looks to cement his place atop the sophomore division after wins in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth this spring at Gulfstream Park, as well as a runner-up finish to Arcangelo off 10-week’s rest in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. He is 2-for-3 at Saratoga, capturing last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful and the aforementioned Jim Dandy on July 29.
Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable’s Grade 1 Blue Grass-winner Tapit Trice became the latest Pletcher trainee to add blinkers, sporting them for the first time in a timed work when covering a half-mile solo in 49.22 under the guidance of jockey Jose Ortiz, who picks up the mount from Luis Saez in the Travers.
Pletcher said Tapit Trice, who was last seen finishing a closing fifth in the Grade 1 Haskell on July 22, is often hindered by a lack of early speed.
“His weakness so far has been getting out of the gate and getting into a good position,” said Pletcher. “We’re hoping that will help a little with that, maybe keep him a little more focused throughout the race. We galloped him earlier in the week with blinkers and he seemed to be dialed in a little more, and it seemed like that was the case breezing this morning.”
Pletcher added he is pleased with the addition of Jose Ortiz as Saez rides Grade 1 Kentucky Derby-winner Mage in the Travers.
“We had a couple choices rider wise – we felt like Jose would be a good fit for him and we wanted to get him familiar with the horse today,” said Pletcher. “He was impressed. He thought it was perfect and said he was focused but not rank. Just the effect you would want [with blinkers].”
Tapit Trice finished a nose back of Forte in the Belmont Stakes to claim show honors after finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby. He won the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby in March ahead of his determined neck score over Verifying in the Blue Grass.
Earlier in the morning, Pletcher sent out Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House’s reigning Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nest for her final breeze in preparation for the nine-furlong Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign on August 25.
The daughter of Curlin covered a half-mile in 48.75 seconds in company with multiple graded stakes-winner Wit, who targets the $150,000 Bernard Baruch on September 4 at Saratoga.
“I thought it was as good as a horse could work,” said Pletcher. “We expect it, but it’s always good to see. She’s been a star since Day One.”
Nest enters the Personal Ensign off a triumphant return from a nearly nine-month layoff to win the Grade 2 Shuvee on July 23 over multiple Grade 1-winner Clairiere.
Last year, Nest was awarded her Champion honors for a campaign that included memorable Grade 1 wins in the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama at the Spa and the Ashland at Keeneland, as well as a strong runner-up effort to stablemate Mo Donegal in the Belmont Stakes. She concluded her campaign with an even fourth-place effort behind stablemate Malathaat as the post-time favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Keeneland.
A $350,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Nest boasts a record of 12-8-2-1 and total purse earnings of $2,083,050.
Additional Personal Ensign contenders breezing five furlongs over the Oklahoma dirt training track at the Spa this morning were the Brad Cox-trained Idiomatic [1:01.88] and Secret Oath [1:00.85] for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
