Forester’s Fortune Looks To Unearth Top Prize In Overskate

TORONTO, ON – Forester’s Fortune, a 4-year-old son of Old Forester, takes to Woodbine’s inner turf for the third straight time looking to unearth the top prize in Saturday’s $100,000 Overskate Stakes. 

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Bred in Ontario by John Carey, Forester’s Fortune, trained by Rodney Barrow, arrives at the 7 1/2-furlong grass test off a sixth-place effort in the 5-furlong Vice Regent Stakes on September 11.

One race prior, on August 1, the multiple stakes-placed gelding rallied stoutly to record a 1 1/2-length victory over firm ground.

“He’s doing really good, knock on wood,” said Barrow. “The last race, he never really got a chance. He drew the eight-hole, and he just couldn’t get across. The race before, it was a beautiful win. He sat nice and easy and then he just moved up from there.”

Forester’s Fortune launched his career in 2019 with a pair of third-place finishes, including in his second appearance, the Victoria Stakes.

Owned by Claudia Evelyn Silvera and Archie Lee, he broke his maiden in his first start of 2020, following that effort up with another trip to the winner’s circle next time out.

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Sporting a record of 4-1-3 from 15 starts, Forester’s Fortune heads into his seventh stakes engagement, a race for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up, in good order.

“He’s a beautiful horse, laid-back and he tries every race. This horse, you have to sit with him, get him to relax and be comfortable, and then he will perform for you any time. If you rush him, it’s no good. He has to relax, that’s the most important thing.”

Barrow, in his second year of training, would like to add another highlight to his résumé beyond his milestone first win last spring.

“Winning my first race [on June 11, 2020 with Pierian] was something that I will never forget. Being a trainer, it was a long, long time coming, but I worked hard to get here. That first win, I really don’t know how to explain it or put it into words. It was a dream come true. I got lots of calls and texts from back home in Barbados, and there was even a write-up in the paper.”

An Overskate triumph would likely be front-page news back home.

“It would be bigger news, for sure,” Barrow said with a smile.

Other contenders include multiple stakes winner Not So Quiet, a 1 1/2-length winner of the Vice Regent, and There’s No Joe, a son of Rookie Sensation who has finished in the top 3 in 6 of his past 7 starts.

Inaugurated in 1997, the race is named in honour of Overskate, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee who holds the record for most Sovereign Awards with nine.

Saturday’s live thoroughbred racing starts at 12:55 PM. The Overskate is slated for race nine on the 10-race card.