Tom Pedulla, for America’s Grand Prix, is interviewing famous equestrian owners, trainers and runners as they make their way to the 149th Kentucky Horseracing on May 6. at the time Churchill Downs.
This week’s section features owner Mike Repole, who is back at the Kentucky Derby with the 2-year-old men’s champion Forte who was ready to debut at the age of 3 was highly anticipated in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) prize pool on March 4 at Gulfstream Park for Hall of Fame coach Todd Pletcher. Repole co-owns Forte with friend and frequent partner Vinnie Viola of St. Elias Stable.
Repole, 54, has experienced the game’s ups and downs to a greater extent than most people. The Queens, NY native shed tears of joy last June when the horses he co-owned, Mo Donegal and children Nest completed one of two in the Belmont Stakes (G1).
He was also sad when Uncle Mo his 2-year-old men’s champion in 2010, had to scratch the day before the Kentucky Derby (G1) with the illness eventually being diagnosed as a rare liver disorder.
PEDULLA: How’s Forte?
REPOLE: He did a great job. We gave him a little vacation in Florida. He was a little bigger, a little wider. You never know what happens when a horse goes from 2 to 3. But as of today, Todd and I couldn’t be happier.
PEDULLA: Do you need to win the Fountain of Youth to have a successful day?
REPOLE: He lost the second start of his career (Sanford Stakes (G3) at Racecourse Saratoga) and he went on to win three 1st graders. Of course, you want to see him win. But the goal is to get him to the top not in the first race of the year, not the second race of the year but the third race in the Kentucky Derby. And then hopefully we’re talking about Preakness (Stocks, G1) and Belmont (G1) bets.
PEDULLA: Have you had a Derby fever since he won the Underage Breeders’ Cup (G1)?
REPOLE: I really want to say that I’ve had Derby fever since I was 15, to tell you the truth.
PEDULLA: Will you always feel that Uncle Mo’s Derby is a loss?
REPOLE: The dream of having a horse in a Derby is one in a million, especially for a kid from Queens. What people forget is I scratched Derby’s favorite, Uncle Mo, but I still have Thirsty in the race. And how many people can say they scratched their favorite Derby horse in their first Derby and still had a horse in the race.
PEDULLA: Was finishing one or two at last year’s Belmont Stakes your best moment?
REPOLE: I have been very fortunate over the past 12 years to have some of the best horses in the country, ponies and ponies. My dream as a kid from New York was to always win Belmont Stakes. I don’t think I ever dreamed of finishing first and second in Belmont Stakes like it did. To see Mo Donegal take the lead and then see Nest follow after him, there’s a moment in maybe an eighth of a mile where I’m not sure if Mo Donegal or Nest will win. But I knew it was going to be a Repole Stable and that made it extremely special.
PEDULLA: You are a partner of Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable on Forte. You have cooperated before. Why did that partnership work so well for both of you?
REPOLE: I think we share many of the same values, whether it’s family, whether it’s horse racing. We both have Italian culture. We went from partners to friends to family. I think when you win a race with Teresa and Vinnie and I have Maria and my parents, that makes it even more special. I have a saying “Success is best when shared”.
PEDULLA: We don’t always see the loyalty you show Todd. Why are you still so loyal?
REPOLE: Because first and foremost he’s a friend and a family member and he’s more than just a coach. This started as a business relationship and it has grown to be a lot bigger. Many times when Todd and I talked, people thought we were talking about horses. That’s probably the least we’re talking about today. When we are with the family, we never talk about horses. I think Todd uses it to his advantage because it doesn’t matter whether he wins or loses. He knows he has a lifelong job with me. No one is more focused. No one is more determined. I respect his work ethic, second to none.
PEDULLA: What does it mean if you can win the Derby?
REPOLE: It was hard for me to get there. As a kid from Queens with immigrant parents, I’ve been very fortunate to have achieved so many incredible things in my life, in business, racing, and having a daughter. Look, that’s what I’ve always dreamed of. That’s what I always think about. I’ve been to seven Derby games. We celebrated in 19th place, 17th place, 13th place. We had a lot of fun and we were lucky. It will be very special, but being in the Derby is already a very special thing that very few people can talk about. I’m 0 to 7. Normally, you wouldn’t brag about getting 0 to 7. But taking part in seven Derby is pretty special.
