Aprl 3 (UPI) -- Just when it looked like he couldn't possibly do it, Forte pulled his act together and rallied through the final 1/16 mile to win the Florida Derby, preserving his status as the favorite for the Kentucky Derby, which is five weeks down the road.
Meanwhile, Angel of Empire got the perfect trip to win the Arkansas Derby going away, putting him, too in perfect position to contest the Run for the Roses.
The third race of the weekend with Derby implications was in England, where Brave Emperor clinched the title in the "European Road to the Kentucky Derby" series with a traffic-impeded runner-up showing in the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at Chelmsford Park.
His connections are still mulling whether to accept the Churchill Downs invitation.
Two Japanese horses are in for Kentucky Derby; Japan also dominates in Dubai
