“Is the Best 3-Year-Old”: Equestrian Owner of Famous Forte Goes Candid on Travers Stakes Winner

The prestigious Travers Stakes race has concluded and the winner is one of its earlier contenders Arcangelo. The horse gave his trainer another historic win after the Belmont Stakes. After the race, the people cheered for the trainer Jena Antonucci, owner Jon Ebbert, and the Arcangelo’s rider Javier Castellano, who claimed his seventh Travers.

Among those noises and cheering one man stood worried and startled wondering what happened to his horse. He was the equestrian owner of the pre-race favorite Forte, Mike Repole. He had two horses competing on the day at Saratoga but to his surprise, both of them couldn’t give the required result, a win. After the race, he contemplated, talked to Forte’s jockey on possible causes, and shared his thoughts.

Equestrian owner speaks in the Travers

According to Blood-Horse, on the morning of the race day, Mike Repole was excited about the race and was confident of his win. But, by the end of the day, his excitement turned into disappointment. His three-year-old colt Forte, trained by the Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, secured fourth place. Forte 8-5 favorite among the horses, even the triple crown winners, lost the race with a gap of eight lengths from the winner Arcangelo. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the colt didn’t show the pace and power of his earlier races.

Speaking about the horse, Repole said that all the factors favored him with the post position and the horse’s form before the race. He thought the horse wanted to win this too. He further said, “At the top of the stretch, I thought we were going to make a big run at it, but I think he just kind of leveled off. Obviously, the best horse won“. Prior to the Travers, Forte won three of his four races with the last winning it in the stretch at Jim Dady. But after the race, he admitted that “Arcangelo is the best 3-year-old in the country“. Repole went to the restaurant to have some refreshments after a disappointing day to uplift his mood with his friends and family. This wasn’t his first loss in his equestrian career, and now all eyes are on his 2-year-old colt, Fierceness, who emerged victorious in its debut at Saratoga.

A look at Mike Repole’s equestrian career

Mike Repole developed a fondness for equestrian racing during his teenage years. Growing up in Middle Village, New York, he would often sneak out of the house without his mother’s knowledge to visit Aqueduct Track or the off-track betting parlor at Grande Avenue. Before entering the world of horse racing, he embarked on a business venture in beverages and successfully established two major brands: Glaceau and Body Armor.

Read More: With Over $1,000,000 in Career Earnings, 3-Year-Old Colt Becomes Reputed Equestrian Institution’s Main Hope Ahead of $1,250,000 Race

In 2005, he started Repole Stable with a horse. He sold his two brands to Coca-Cola for billions and with that extra finance, he grew his equestrian business. Over the years he won major titles, the Breeder’s Cup and various stakes wins. In his career to date, he took part in 4,598 races and won 1,044 races. His total earning to date stands at $48,639,097.

The Traver’s loss is a disappointing one for Mike Repole, who had confidence in the colt and wanted to add another title under his belt. However, this is far from the end, and he is well aware of that. Therefore, he has his sights set on future races, particularly with his two-year-old, Fierceness.

Watch The Story:Essential Mistakes to Steer Clear of When Riding a Horse for the First Time