Forte Dei Marmi sets course record in Sky Classic repeat

Stella Perdomo's Forte Dei Marmi wasn't content with merely scoring a repeat

victory in Sunday's Grade 2, $205,069

Sky

Classic, for the defending champion stormed home in course-record time at

Woodbine. With Eurico Rosa da Silva aboard, the Roger Attfield trainee blitzed 1

1/4 miles on the firm turf in 2:00.12, lowering the mark of 2:00.60 set by

Seaside Retreat in 2008.

Forte Dei Marmi, who was coming off a 6 1/4-length demolition job in the July

7 Singspiel at 1 1/2 miles on yielding ground, was bet down to 6-5 favoritism

here. Nestled in a ground-saving spot off the pace in fifth, the seven-year-old

gelding switched off kindly as he awaited his cue.

Up front, the filly Irish Mission had taken over from Hotep after an opening

quarter in :25 4/5, and was a length up on Grand Arch at the half in :49 3/5.

Grand Arch advanced to increase the pressure at the six-furlong mark in 1:12

4/5, put Irish Mission away turning for home, and clocked 1:36 1/5 for the mile.

Meanwhile, da Silva had peeled Forte Dei Marmi to the outside in preparation

for the stretch drive. Once the favorite was set down in earnest, he reeled in

Grand Arch, and found an extra gear inside the final furlong to draw 2 1/4

lengths clear.

Hampstead Heath rallied for second, one length ahead of stablemate Grand

Arch, giving trainer Brian Lynch the minor awards. Hotep held fourth, followed

by Irish Mission; Attfield's other runner, Perfect Timber; Classic Bryce; and

Peyton.

Forte Dei Marmi paid $4.40 to win while advancing his record to 31-9-1-5,

$852,575. Originally based in England with Luca Cumani, the Selkirk gelding was a handicapper for

much of his early career. Forte Dei Marmi was upped in grade in 2011, with his

best result a third to Await the Dawn in the Huxley at Chester. Forte Dei Marmi

joined Attfield for a tilt at that year's Woodbine Mile, winding up 10th in his

only unplaced effort over the E.P. Taylor turf. His resume also features a trio

of thirds in the 2012 Dixie, Northern Dancer Turf and Canadian International.

Off form when trailing in the November 24 W.L. McKnight at Calder, Forte Dei

Marmi took time to come to hand this spring. He was last of seven in his

reappearance in an April 6 Keeneland allowance, and was pulled up early in the

April 26 Elkhorn and vanned off the course. Forte Dei Marmi was only ninth in

his return trip to Pimlico for the May 18 Dixie, but was back on song for the

Singspiel.

Bred by Fittocks Stud in Great Britain, Forte Dei Marmi failed to reach his

reserve when bringing $81,196 as a Tattersalls October yearling. His dam, the

winning Sadler's Wells mare Frangy, is responsible for two other stakes scorers

-- Savarain and Wallis.

Forte Dei Marmi descends from multiple Group 2 star Free Guest, making him a

relative of Group 1 heroine Shamshir, Irish and Italian highweight staying mare

Royal Ballerina and multiple stakes winners Nashmiah and Al Mohaajir.

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