Keeping Score: Forte the favorite at Belmont Stakes

Published: 06-09-2023 8:17 PM

Good morning!
The 5-to-2 morning line favorite for today’s Belmont Stakes is Forte, trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Mike Repole who grew up a stone’s throw from the Big Sandy. A late scratch from the Kentucky Derby, this will be the colt’s first start since April 1 when he won the Florida Derby under jockey Irad Ortiz. On paper his five straight wins make him “tons the best” as Hinsdale dog handicapper Billy Coughlin liked to say.

Another Pletcher-trained colt, the late-closing Tapit Trice, is the 3-to-1 second choice with Luis Saez in the irons. The 3-year-old gray was purchased by Whisper Hill Farm for $1.3 million at the Keeneland Yearling Sale and was seventh in the Kentucky Derby at 9-2.

After Forte was scratched from the Run for the Roses, Angel of Empire was sent off as the lukewarm 4-1 favorite and finished seventh for trainer Brad Cox. He’s 7-to-2 in the morning line and will be ridden by Flavien Prat.

Preakness winner National Treasure is 5-to-1 and will exit the No. 4 post under J.R. Velazquez, and Peter Pan winner Arcangelo is 8-1 under Javier Castellano. The rest of the nine-horse field is 10-to-1 and higher.

“This is the toughest Belmont in a lot of years because a lot of these horses have the same running style,” says John Dobrydnio, aka the Tomato Patch Kid. “Now, there is a horse I like that’s very interesting called Arch Angel.”

“You mean Arcangelo?” I asked.

“Yes. I only went to 10th grade, easy. This horse fires every time.”

Dobrydnio picked the Kentucky Derby winner Mage and Preakness winner National Treasure for the Recorder. “We got a $33 horse and a $7 horse and I’m going to try to take a little value with Arcangelo because it looks like he can sit right off the pace.”

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Arcangelo has modest connections. Owner Jon Ebbert purchased the gray colt for $35,000 and let trainer Jena Antonucci take the reins. He told BloodHorse that he named his small stable Blue Rose Farm because, “A blue rose is sort of impossible, so we’re going to try and achieve the impossible.”

As the Triple Crown series comes to a close, Dobrydnio says he’s done until the gates open at Saratoga. “Adios. See you at Siros having a rack of lamb and mint jelly.”

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During the Red Sox-Rays makeup game on Monday afternoon, Tampa Bay broadcasters Neil Solondz and Andy Freed wondered why Boston wanted a 7 p.m. start when it had to fly to Cleveland afterward and it was the annual family trip. 

The answer of course is money. NESN’s ratings would be higher for a night game, and that would make the sponsors happy. Indeed, the only weekday afternoon game all summer is on the Fourth of July against Texas.

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John Henry bought the Red Sox in 2002 for $386 million, and as soon as the Arkansas traveler found out he couldn’t sell beer until noon on Sundays he moved the starting times ahead an hour to 2 p.m. The PR office said it was so people could have time to go to church. When the state allowed liquor sales to start at 10 a.m., game times were rolled back to 1:30 p.m.

It’s all about the money; John Henry needs a new sail for his yacht.

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PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has a degree in sport management from UMass but must have missed the ethics lesson. Last year he said, “Life is all about meaning and purpose, and we’re an organization with meaning and purpose.”

Not anymore. “The Saudis bought the PGA Tour, plain and simple,” said Dan Patrick, “and the golfers who stayed have nothing to show for their loyalty.”

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Leave it to a UMass kid to be the latest NFL player to get jammed up for online football gambling. Isaiah Rodgers had 11 interceptions and three touchdown returns for the Minutemen. He was drafted by the Colts, started nine games last season and had a 101-yard kickoff return against the Browns in 2020.

“This guy’s a good player,” said PFT’s Chris Simms. “He classifies as a three rockets-up-his-a** type of football player, one of the better return players, and it’s a shame.”

OK, wait until the college players start being investigated. NFL players have a modicum of common sense, but they think they can get away with anything.

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Texas right-hander Jacob deGrom cried like a kid who’d lost his dog telling the press he had to have Tommy John surgery.

The Rangers won all five games he’d started including the game against the Yankees on April 28 when the injury happened. “It was one single pitch,” said TBS analyst Pedro Martinez. “He threw a slider. They came out and got him and he hasn’t pitched since. People don’t realize how hard it is to come back from an injury like that. You’re going to go kill yourself to come back. It is time to get healthy.” 

A two-time Cy Young winner, deGrom won’t be back until after next year’s All-Star break at the earliest.

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In the sixth inning on Sunday, Tampa Bay’s Manuel Margot walked and Yandy Diaz hit the ball through the right side on the hit-and-run. Rays third base coach Brady Williams — the son of former Red Sox manager Jimy Williams — saw Alex Verdugo lob the ball to second base and waved Margot home.

Enmanuel Valdez’s throw to the plate wasn’t in time, and Diaz came all the way around when Connor Wong’s throw to get him at second base went past all three outfielders.

Boston broadcaster Will Flemming called them the Bad News Bears.    

“It’s hard to think of anything more ugly than that,” agreed sidekick Joe Castiglione.

Tampa Bay’s Andy Freed called it “The little league home run of little league home runs.”

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Boston College had three outstanding Massachusetts players on its baseball roster this season. Barry Walsh of Sterling and Wachusett Regional batted .319 and hit a home run against Troy in the NCAA Regionals, Nick Wang of Newton and Phillips Exeter had 11 home runs and was second on the team in RBIs, and Patrick Roche of Milton was a .289 hitter.

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The late Elaine Sortino took the UMass softball team to 16 straight NCAA tournaments, but with her passing the dynasty has crumbled. UMass finished 16-34, its worst record in the program’s 48-year history. The program is fully funded and has no excuse for not being competitive.

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SQUIBBERS: Yankee fans think Kansas City’s Salvatore Perez would look good in pinstripes. The Bombers haven’t had a good catcher since Jorge Posada retired in 2011.  … Former Red Sox pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Martin Perez are a combined 14-3 for the Rangers. … The NCAA champion Oklahoma softball team finished 61-1 with 28 run-rule wins. The Sooners’ only loss was to Baylor, 4-3, on Feb. 19. … Panthers owner Vincent Viola won the 2017 Kentucky Derby with Always Dreaming and is a regular at the Saratoga meet. “I’m sure we’ll be talking in the paddock,” the ever-modest Mike Francesca said on his podcast. … Good zinger by the Post’s Phil Mushnick about the thrifty Yankees: “Ever get the feeling that Hal Steinbrenner never owned a baseball mitt as a kid?”… Rafael Devers is 3-for-24 against the Rays this season. … Two New England teams made it to the NCAA College Softball Tournament. Boston University beat N.C. Central, 8-0, but lost to Va. Tech,  6-1 and 9-0, and Harvard lost to Arkansas, 11-0, and to Notre Dame, 5-2. … Duncan Robinson scored 80 points for the Heat against the Celtics. The New Castle, N.H., native went to Exeter and Williams College and transferred to Michigan after his freshman year. … Sign at Donut Dip in West Springfield: “Abs are cool, but ever try donuts?”

Chip Ainsworth is an award-winning columnist who has penned his observations about sports for decades in the Pioneer Valley. He can be reached at chipjet715@icloud.com]]>