Forty Tales Wins Derby Trial

Progressive colt Forty Tales (3c Tale of the Cat x Forty Love, by Forty Niner) scored a tenacious victory in the Grade III Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on Saturday. The Todd Pletcher trained colt powered to the line to hold off a late challenge from his stablemate Capo Bastone to win the one mile feature by a neck, his overall record now three wins and a second from five starts with prizemoney topping $219,000. "We felt like there was a bit of speed in the race and both of these horses' styles are to settle and make one run,” Pletcher said. “It seemed like the track was playing favorably to those kinds of horses on the night, so we just let them do their thing and it worked out well.” Asked whether Forty Tales might back up to run in the Kentucky Derby, Pletcher was non-committal. "I doubt it, but we'll see how he comes out of it,” Pletcher responded. “I'm sure that the owner will want to talk about it, but I would say he's probably a one-turn horse.” Raced by Perretti Racing Stable, Forty Tales was an $80,000 purchase from the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling Sale and is a full brother to stakes-placed Face the Cat and half-brother to stakes-winner Bear Character being one of six winners from Forty Love. He is the 88^th stakes-winner for accomplished shuttle sire Tale of the Cat.