Forty Tales Holds Off Capo Bastone to Win Opening-Night Derby Trial Before Crowd of 21,038

Apr 28, 2013 Gary Yunt

Perretti Racing Stable’s Forty Tales held off Capo Bastone by a diminishing neck to win the 89th running of the $201,425 Derby Trial before a crowd of 21,038 on “Opening Night” Presented by Stella Artois and Finlandia Vodka.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Forty Tales was the fourth of five winners on the night for jockey Joel Rosario.

“When we turned for home, I asked him to go and he went and put me in a good spot,” Rosario said. “I’m lucky to be here (Kentucky). Things have been going great and hopefully they’ll continue.”

The victory was worth $119,889 to increase Forty Tales’ career earnings to $219,789 with a record of 5-3-1-0.

Zee Bros led the field of nine through fractions of :22.48, :45.07 and 1:10.02 as Rosario kept Forty Tales well off the pace. Turning for home, Titletown Five joined Zee Bros on the front end with the two dueling to midstretch before being challenged by Forty Tales.

Forty Tales, a Kentucky bred son of Tale of the Cat out of the Forty Niner mare Forty Love, kicked clear in deep stretch and had just enough to hold off Capo Bastone and complete the mile in 1:35.77 over a fast track.

Forty Tales returned $8.20, $4 and $3.20. Capo Bastone, ridden by Garrett Gomez, returned $5 and $4.20 with Ruler of Love finishing three lengths back in third under Rosie Napravnik and paying $8.40 to show.

Titletown Five finished another three-quarters of a length back in fourth and was followed in order by Ruble, Zee Bros, Officer Alex, G.T. Tabu and Tour Guide.

Racing resumes Tuesday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. (ET).

DERBY TRIAL QUOTES

Todd Pletcher trainer of Forty Tales, winner, and Capo Bastone, runner-up: “We felt like there was a little bit of speed in the race and both of these horses' styles are to settle and make one run. 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.

“When we came here we were undecided as to whether to run in the Lexington or here but I liked the way he worked over the track and that was the deciding factor.”

Possibility of running back in the Kentucky Derby?  “I doubt it, but we'll see how he comes out of it. I'm sure that the owner will want to talk about it but I would say he's probably a one-turn horse.”

Any chance Capo Bastone could be under consideration for the Derby? “We didn't really think of it that way. We were thinking that if he ran really well we could consider the Preakness or something like that. We'll see how he comes out of it.”

Joel Rosario, jockey on Forty Tales, winner: – “It was a perfect trip. He broke well. I figured there was going to be some speed in the race and we’d be five, six, seven lengths off the speed. That’s exactly where we were. When we turned for home, I asked him to go and he went and put me in a good spot.

“I’m lucky to be here (Kentucky). Things have been going great and hopefully they’ll continue.”

Garrett Gomez, jockey on Capo Bastone, runner-up:  “He was keyed up. First time under the lights; a young 3-year-old. But I got him to settle on the backside and then when I asked him he came with a good run. Good race for him, for sure.”

Rosie Napravnik, jockey on Ruler of Love, third: “My horse ran excellent. I had a pretty decent trip on the inside. I finally asked him to go around a horse because he wasn’t really acting like he wanted to go in a spot on the rail. He finished well and tried very hard.”

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN). Churchill Downs will conduct the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4, 2013 and its 2013 Spring Meet is scheduled for April 27-June 30. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.ChurchillDowns.com.

-END-