Pletcher lines up top horses for 2nd half, with focus on Forte

Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Todd Pletcher is lining up his top horses for the second half of the season, starting with a laser focus on securing an Eclipse Award for Forte as leading 3-year-old male.

Although a bruised right front hoof kept the 2-year-old champion from competing in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before he placed second in the Belmont Stakes, the Hall of Fame trainer continues to view the title as Forte’s to lose.

“When you consider he won the Fountain of Youth (G2) and the Florida Derby (G1) and beat the Derby winner and had a less-than-ideal setup for the Belmont, to me he’s still the division leader,” Pletcher said. “All these divisions are the same. It’s going to change throughout the year. In order to stay on top, you’ve got to keep winning.”

The dark bay son of Violence, owned by Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable, loomed as a solid Kentucky Derby favorite before state veterinarians scratched the winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Repole also had 2-year-old champion Uncle Mo scratched from the 2011 Derby with what ultimately was diagnosed as a rare liver ailment.

They simply lost a race against time with Forte with what Pletcher describes as a “slight hoof issue.” Now, they must work to overcome that gap in his resume, which will never sit well with Repole.

“I think there is still a little bit of a misconception with the regulatory veterinarians that we were arguing their decision,” Pletcher said. “What Mike was asking them to do because we were making steady progress was to give us another four or five hours to continue to work on the foot and see if we could get him perfect. They just were unwilling to do that.”

Under the circumstances, Forte’s late charge in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont suggested he will be a force for the remainder of the campaign.

“We were coming into that with 10 weeks’ rest. Obviously, it was a tall order. He ran a very courageous race and was still coming on at the end,” Pletcher noted. “We were pleased with his performance, his effort and the way he came out of it.”

Forte returned to the work tab on June 30, stretching his legs by going four furlongs in 50.40 seconds at Belmont Park. Pletcher favors the July 29 Jim Dandy (G2) for the youngster’s next start rather than the Haskell (G1) a week earlier at Monmouth Park. It gives Forte an extra week to recover from the Belmont and would not involve any shipping, with the Aug. 26 Travers (G1) at Saratoga as the primary target.

Third-place Belmont finisher Tapit Trice likely will represent the barn in the Haskell. Pletcher has high hopes for the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner as he eyes another Grade 1 victory for the distance-loving son of Tapit.

“The horse is training really well,” Pletcher said. “I was very encouraged and really kind of surprised by how well he took the Belmont.”

Many prognosticators had viewed Tapit Trice as the one to beat in a Belmont won by long shot Arcangelo, ridden by Javier Castellano. Pletcher thinks the outcome could have been different on another afternoon.

“I think the difference between first, second and third in the Belmont was the trip. The winner got the best ground-saving trip,” he said. “We lost some ground with Tapit Trice having to go wide on the turn, and that was kind of the difference in the race.”

Pletcher is keeping his options open with Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns, 14th in the Kentucky Derby and second in the June 17 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth. The Jim Dandy remains under consideration, but it would not be surprising if he lands in the Aug. 6 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer.

The connections are optimistic that champion 3-year-old filly Nest will compensate for lost time when she makes her long-awaited 4-year-old debut. That most likely will come in the 1 1/8-mile Shuvee (G2), on July 23 at Saratoga. It would be her first start since she ran fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. An intended vacation turned into an undesirable layoff when she developed a lung infection.

“I think we’re on course now. Her last couple of works have been very good,” Pletcher said. “I think she is back in top form.”

If all goes well in the Shuvee, the Aug. 25 Personal Ensign (G1) at Saratoga would be next on the road to a return to the Distaff.

Pletcher expects to unveil a number of promising 2-year-olds when the Saratoga meet opens July 13. Pirate, an Omaha Beach colt, will look to make his mark on the opening Saturday of the meet. Camera, a filly by two-time horse of the year Curlin, is set for a July 23 debut.