Forte Dei Marmi cuts back in Woodbine Mile

Forte Dei Marmi, named for a sea town in northern Tuscany, is hoping to make a splash in the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile.

The Selkirk-Frangy gelding won four of five races in 2010 for trainer Luca Cumani, but has yet to find the winner's circle in six starts this season.

"He was running in lesser races than the ones he contested this year," advised Cumani, of the five-year-old's past success, adding, "He's in excellent form at the moment."

In his most recent effort, Forte Dei Marmi ran third at Epsom in a race won by a solid Godolphin runner, Vesuve.

"It was a very good run and he wasn't beaten very far," noted Cumani. "He ran a good race."

Having made four consecutive attempts at a mile and a quarter, Forte Dei Marmi will now have less ground to work with and Cumani is uncertain about the cutback in distance.

"That's a bit of an imponderable," said Cumani. "I think 10 furlongs is his best trip, but hopefully, he will run well over a mile as well."

The bay will arrive from England on Tuesday night with Mile rivals, Side Glance and Dance And Dance, plus Northern Dancer contender, Wigmore Hall.

Upon arrival, Forte Dei Marmi will join local trainer Roger Attfield's barn on a permanent basis for owner Stella Perdomo.  Jockey John Velazquez, who has partnered with Attfield for stakes scores this season aboard Musketier (also owned by Perdomo) and No Explaining, gets the call for the Mile.