Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Forza Di Oro delivers second out
Well-regarded Forza Di Oro lost all chance in his debut at the break when he got away last of seven but still ran on to be second. That made the Bill Mott trainee one to watch leading into a return for Saturday’s Belmont Park opener.
The son of Speightstown delivered going 1 1/16 miles, rallying from a close-up fourth into the turn to win by 3/4 of a length and hit our 2020 Kentucky Derby Radar. But the margin may be a bit deceiving, as jockey Junior Alvarado sat chilly while taking a measure of Forza Di Oro’s competition.
Expect to see him going longer, perhaps in Aqueduct’s Remsen Stakes (G2), as the Derby Radar seeks to identify maiden winners who look like a fit for points-paying preps.
A Don Alberto Stable homebred, this chestnut colt didn’t meet a lofty reserve when offered as a yearling, with the final bid coming in at $325,000. Now in two starts, he shows a victory and a second to Ajaaweed, who went on to be second in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.
An odds-on favorite Saturday, Forza Di Oro sat near opening fractions of 24.14 and 47.87 set by Mandatory, who eventually faded to finish off the board. Meanwhile, Will Sing for Wine made a promising move from fifth, 11 1/4 lengths back after checked leaving the gate, to finish third in this flight. Watch for him next time.
As for Forza Di Oro, he’s out of the Hard Spun mare Filare l’Oro, who also produced two-time Grade 3-winning older horse Silver Dust.
Two other freshmen posted noteworthy victories Saturday.
Thousand Words, a debuting $1 million yearling purchase for the Bob Baffert barn, out-dueled Thunder Code in Santa Anita’s fourth race, a 6 1/2-furlong event. This one’s campaigned in partnership by Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm, who have gotten to know one another when standing at stud Brody’s Cause and Free Drop Billy.
A son of Pioneerof the Nile, Thousand Words lacks distance breeding on his female side, as the Pomeroy mare Pomeroy’s Pistol was a multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter. Still, knowing the connections you can count on Thousand Words to give a Derby prep a shot.
On closing day at Keeneland, Brad Cox-trained Wells Bayou skipped over the slop to win the fifth race, a maiden special weight going six furlongs. The $105,000 colt, bought by Lance Gasaway last March as a 2-year-old in training, distanced to a 2 1/4-length victory after opening up with fractions of 22.70 and 46.97 seconds.
A son of Lookin At Lucky, Wells Bayou is out of the Hard Spun mare Whispering Angel, hailing from the female family that produced Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown.