Consolation For Forte Connections as Up to the Mark Impresses in Turf Classic

[Wandering Eyes]

Lightly raced up-and-comer UP TO THE MARK (c, 4, Not This Time–Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper) scored a breakout victory in Saturday's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, providing a bit of consolation to his connections, whose GI Kentucky Derby favorite Forte (Violence) was forced to scratched in the morning due to a foot bruise. The bay gobbled up ground late to put five lengths on his rivals. Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}) was second, while hard-knocking Spooky Channel (English Channel) rallied from last to be third. Having improved dramatically on the turf this winter at Gulfstream to clear two conditions, Up to the Mark was most recently third in the GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland Apr. 14. Sales history: $450,000 ylg '20 KEESEP. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable. B-Ramspring Farm (KY). T-Todd A Pletcher.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.31, fm.
1–UP TO THE MARK, 123, c, 4, by Not This Time
               1st Dam: Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper
               2nd Dam: Capote Belle, by Capote
               3rd Dam: Rythmical, by Fappiano
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias
Stable; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz,
Jr. $601,400. Lifetime Record: 9-4-0-2, $829,550. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hong Kong Harry (Ire), 123, g, 6, Es Que Love (Ire)–Vital Body
(Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£185,000 RNA
4yo '21 GOFFLN; 85,000gns 4yo '21 TATAHI). O-Scott Anastasi,
Jimmy Ukegawa & Tony Valazza; B-Amarath Business
Management (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $194,000.
3–Spooky Channel, 123, g, 8, English Channel–Spooky Kitten, by
Kitten's Joy. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($10,000 Ylg '16 FTKOCT).
O-NBS Stable; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Jason Barkley. $97,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 2.63, 3.64, 4.37.
Also Ran: Ocean Atlantique, Santin, Wolfie's Dynaghost, Earls Rock (Ire), Bye Bye Melvin. Scratched: Master Piece (Chi), Steady On. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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