Forte, the early Kentucky Derby favorite who withdrew just hours before the first leg of the Triple Crown last weekend, tested positive on a drug test in September, according to a report on Tuesday.
The controversy surrounding the horse racing world, which saw seven horses die from injury following the lead up to the Kentucky Derby, took another turn this week after a report from the New York Times revealed that Forte had a posted drug test result after winning a race in September at a racetrack in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Forte runs on the track during the morning training for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Sources told the outlet that the horse was tested post-race, but it has yet to be adjudicated before New York regulators.
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They added that Forte tested positive for a substance used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
Forte was scratched from Saturday’s Derby over concerns of a bruised right front foot. The injury may have stemmed from a workout on Thursday where the colt stumbled on the track.
Forte is washed in the barn area after morning workouts in preparation for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May5, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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Forte had a five-race winning streak and was the early 3-1 favorite.
Kentucky racing officials placed Forte on a mandatory 14-day veterinary list this week which puts the possibility of racing in the Preakness in doubt.
A Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) release cited HISA Rule 2241a in placing Forte on the list and stated that the horse must perform a “satisfactory workout” for a state veterinarian and have a negative blood sample to be removed.
Forte (15) trainer Todd Pletcher on the backside at Churchill Downs in the early morning before the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 6, 2023, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. (Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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According to the Times report, Forte’s trainer Todd Pletcher is expected to meet with New York racing officials on Wednesday regarding the failed drug test.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
