2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Replay | Forte Leaves No Doubt As Champion; Early Kentucky Derby Favorite

The Racing Dudes react to Forte winning the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland and becoming the champion colt heading toward the 2023 Kentucky Derby trail. Watch the replay for the Racing Dudes’ INSTANT reactions, then tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!

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The track press release:

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte ($12.04) swept past odds-on favorite Cave Rock at the sixteenth pole and went on to post a 1 1/2-length victory in the 39th running of the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance for 2-year-olds Friday afternoon at Keeneland.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte completed the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.06. The victory is the 13^th for Pletcher in the Breeders’ Cup and third in this race. His previous winners were Uncle Mo in 2010 and Shanghai Bobby in 2012.

It is the first victory in the race for Ortiz and 15^th overall in the World Championships.

Longshot Hurricane J shot to the front out of the gate but was quickly confronted by Cave Rock. Cave Rock took over midway down the backstretch as Ortiz kept Forte close to the rail.

On the far turn, Forte moved off the rail and at the top of the stretch was three wide with dead aim on Cave Rock and National Treasure. Forte took over at the eighth pole and drew clear.

Cave Rock held second by 2 ¼ lengths over National Treasure who was third by 1 ½ lengths over Blazing Sevens.

Now a three-time Grade 1 winner, Forte is a Kentucky-bred son of Violence out of the Blame mare Queen Caroline. The victory was worth $1,040,000 and improved Forte’s earnings to $1,595,150.