Fort Larned (horse)

Fort Larned (foaled April 14, 2008) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Background

Fort Larned is a dark-coated bay horse with a small white star bred in Kentucky by his owner Janis R. Whitham. He was sired by E Dubai, a horse who won both the Dwyer Stakes and the Suburban Handicap for his owners Godolphin Racing. Apart from Fort Larned, his most successful runner has been the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Desert Code.^[1] Fort Larned's dam Arlucea, was a daughter of Bayakoa an Argentinian-bred mare who was twice named American Champion Older Female Horse.^[2]

Racing career

2012: four-year-old season

Fort Larned began his 2012 season in Florida. He won the Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and then recorded his first important success at Gulfstream Park in March. He won the Grade III Skip Away Stakes, beating Alma d'Oro by two and a half lengths. Wilkes stated that the horse had made great improvement and it was suggested that he was well-suited by being allowed to "run free".^[3] At Churchill Downs in May he finished second in the Alysheba Stakes behind Successful Dan, with Mucho Macho Man in third. At the same course a month later he was moved into Grade I class and finished unplaced behind Ron the Greek in the Stephen Foster Handicap after being forced wide in the straight.^[4]

In his next race, Fort Larned was ridden for the first time by Brian Hernandez, Jr.. At Prairie Meadows in July he led from the start to record a three length success over Successful Dan and Awesome Gem in the Cornhusker Handicap.^[5] A first Grade I success followed in August in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga Race Course in August. Racing in blinkers for the first time, he took the lead a quarter mile from the finish and won from Ron the Greek and Flat Out.^[6] Fort Larned's improving form saw him start the 57/20 favorite for the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in late September. He moved up to challenge the leaders approaching the straight, then faded in the closing stages to finish third behind Flat Out and Stay Thirsty.

Fort Larned was sent to Santa Anita Park in November to contest the Breeders' Cup Classic. He started at odds of 9/1 in a twelve runner field with Game On Dude being made the 5/4 favorite. Hernandez sent the colt into the lead soon after the start and he was never headed. In the stretch he faced a strong challenge from Mucho Macho Man but stayed on to prevail by half a length, with a gap of six and a half lengths back to Flat Out in third.^[7]

2013: five-year-old season

Fort Larned's first run since winning the Breeders' Cup came in March at Gulfstream Park. He started favorite for the Gulfstream Park Handicap, but lost his chance at the start, when he stumbled and unseated Hernandez. A month later he was made 1/2 favorite for the Oaklawn Handicap but ran poorly to finish fifth behind Cyber Secret, leading Wilkes to suggest that the horse had been unsuited by the fast track.^[8]

After a break of two months, Fort Larned returned to contest the Stephen Foster Handicap. The horse led from the start and drew clear of his five opponents to win by six lengths from Golden Ticket and Ron the Greek in what was described as a "stunning display".^[9] The winning time of 1:47.45 was the second fastest in the history of the race. On August 3 Fort Larned was made favorite for his second Whitney Handicap. Carrying top weight of 122 pounds he finished fifth of the eight runners behind Cross Traffic. Wilkes described his horse's performance as " a dull effort" but added, "We'll regroup. We'll be back."^[10]

Eight weeks after his poor run in the Whitney, Fort Larned reappeared at the same course for the first running of the Homecoming Classic, which Wilkes had selected in preference to the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Hernandez sent the horse into the lead from the start and he was never headed, winning by one and a half lengths from Windswept in a time of 1:48.58.^[11]

Pedigree

References