Forte co-owner Mike Repole searches for Kentucky Derby glory

The Buffalo News

05 May 2023

Forte co-owner Mike Repole searches for Kentucky Derby glory

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The cameras will be squarely on Mike Repole as the 20 horses approach the gate before Saturday’s $3 million Kentucky Derby.

Repole, co-owner of the Derby favorite Forte, has never met a camera, or a microphone for that matter, that he didn’t like.

Standing in front of Barn 39 on the backside of a bright, brisk Kentucky morning in his New York Mets colored sneakers, the 54-year-old Long Island billionaire seems like a guy you could share a coffee or a beer with while chatting about sports.

He co-owns Forte with his friend, Vinnie Viola (St. Elias Stable), one of the owners of the Florida Panthers. As he pontificated about his journey from owning claiming horses, a massive goose egg at Saratoga, to having the favorite in Saturday’s Derby, he acknowledged one of the keys to his success was convincing Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher to condition his horses.

“I had horses in 2004 and I would sit in my seats while I used other trainers,” said Repole. “I would be in the same race as Todd, and I kept watching this gray-haired guy go by me every time to the winner’s circle I would say, ‘How do you do that?’ and I’m not the type of person to engage with someone who consistently beats me.”

Repole finally convinced him in 2009 after the Saratoga meet to start training for him after a few years of getting to know the award-winning trainer.

A talented group of 14 fillies will seek glory in Friday’s $1.25 million Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Here's a look at the field.

“In 2007 and 2008, we started to talk. In 2009, I started to give him horses, it was right after I had the most historic, epic Saratoga meet as an owner. In 2009, I had 37 starts and the reason I say it was historic and epic is because no one has ever done this. I was 0-for-37. I had eight seconds, eight thirds, multiple headaches, stress, anxiety and it was September and I asked him to go to dinner.”

He gave Pletcher a couple 2-year-olds early on that became the glue that solidified the relationship. Those two colts were Uncle Mo, the 2010 Juvenile champion and 2011 Travers winner Stay Thirsty.

At that point, Repole and Pletcher were off and running.

“It’s been over 15 years, I always say he went from my trainer to my partner to my friend. The positives are we have a great relationship, the negative is you can’t fire your friends,” joked Repole.

Repole still holds the unofficial record for longest speech given at a National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame ceremony during Pletcher’s induction, a roaring which lasted more than 33 minutes.

The two definitely have a special relationship which they love to play out in front of the media. Pletcher, after the Florida Derby, joked about what was in store for him after the win at Gulfstream when it comes to his entrepreneurial owner.

“I will be checking in with AT&T and see if I can extend my telephone minutes because I'm pretty sure that Mike might be checking in every once in a while,” the Hall of Fame trainer exclaimed after the big prep win.

Repole made his fortunes selling Glaceau (maker of Vitaminwater) to Coca-Cola for $4.2 billion in 2007 and later selling a sports drink manufacturer he co-founded, again to Coke, in two separate transactions. The first 15% of the BodyArmour SuperDrink was sold in 2018 for an undisclosed amount, the remaining 85% was sold for $5.6 billion in 2021. It was a business which had Kobe Bryant as a co-investor.

He joined the Pirate’s Booty board as chairman in 2009, a business he helped grow by 300% in less than five years before it was sold for $195 million.

Horse racing has served as his escape from the intensity of the business world.

“This is like my therapy,” said Repole. “I’d come out here in the morning, get some fresh air and distract my mind from business to something else.”

As he has grown his businesses as owner and advisor, the St. John’s grad thinks horse racing needs to be better marketed, but needs the ability to change with the times. The sport would be smart to listen to him based on how he has thrived in running and growing his businesses.

“As I get older, this seems to be, that this has been the same for too long. For 15 years, it’s been the status quo,” said Repole. “Sports change, football has changed, baseball has the pitch count, college athletics have changed, it’s called free agency now with the portal.”

“This sport could triple. Listen, if you’ve been here and you’ve had a great experience, you come back,” said Repole. “So how do you work to bring fans in? You have been to Saratoga, Keeneland, Santa Anita, here (Churchill Downs). I mean 160,000 people. How many other sports have 160,000 people show up for one game? The sport needs to be marketed, there’s a lot of stories here.”

Forte co-owner Viola, a fellow Italian-American, praised his racing partner after Forte’s Florida Derby win at Gulfstream as part of the dream team that also includes Eclipse winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

“Mike manages our horses. He is a phenomenal, phenomenal horseman,” said Viola. “Him, Todd, and Irad are like, yeah, one piece of metal.”

The drama for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and his Kentucky Derby favorite Forte was over early as he was the first colt drawn out of the box, securing post position No. 15 at Monday's draw.

There still will be some anxious moments before Forte enters the gate late Saturday afternoon. In 2011, Rapole entered Derby week with the favorite, Uncle Mo, who ultimately scratched the day before the race. So far, Pletcher has mapped out the perfect campaign for the son of Violence, but Repole isn’t counting his chickens in searching for his first Derby victory.

“There’s no perfect in this game. You hold your breath a lot, you get to the race, if you’re lucky to win, you can breathe again,” said Repole.

Scratches

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Board of Stewards scratched all horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. effectively immediately and until further notice, including Lord Miles from the Kentucky Derby.

Joseph trained two horses of four horses that have died in the past week at Churchill Downs, and an investigation is ongoing.

“Given the unexplained sudden deaths, we have reasonable concerns about the condition of his horses, and decided to suspend him indefinitely until details are analyzed and understood,” Bill Mudd, President and Chief Operating Officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated, said in a news release. “The safety of our equine and human athletes and integrity of our sport is our highest priority. We feel these measures are our duty and responsibility.”

With the scratch, Mandarin Hero, a horse from Japan, has been added to the field.

Practical Move also was scratched from the Derby due to an elevated temperature, according to trainer Tim Yakteen.

With the scratch, Albaugh Family Stables’ Cyclone Mischief will draw into the field.

Gene Kershner is the turf writer for The Buffalo News, a member of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association and tweets @EquiSpace.

Kentucky Derby Odds

Saddle No. Horse Trainer Jockey Morning Line

1 Hit Show Cox Franco 30-1

2 Verifying Cox Gaffalione 15-1

3 Two Phil’s Rivelli Loveberry 12-1

4 Confidence Game Desormeaux Graham 20-1

5 Tapit Trice Pletcher Saez 5-1

6 Kingsbarns Pletcher J Ortiz 12-1