Forte wins Florida Derby, likely now Kentucky Derby favorite

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Forte got challenged, and the Kentucky Derby favorite had all the answers. Next stop: The Run for the Roses. With a big move in the final furlong, Forte — who was way back early after drawing the 11th post in a 12-horse race and didn’t take the lead until the very last strides — won Saturday’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. It was Forte’s sixth win in seven career starts and only further cemented his status as the likely one to catch at Churchill Downs in five weeks.