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Fort Larned to rest until connections decide on debut 2013 start

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Fort Larned to rest until connections decide on debut 2013 start
The Grade 1, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Fort Larned, is no more going to race in the last month of the year, as the Ian R. Wilkes trained 4-year-old colt is going to take up residence at the trainer’s shed at Palm Meadows training center.
“He’s taking it nice and easy right now, just riding the shed,” Wilkes said Wednesday. “I’m going to sit down shortly with Mrs. Whitham, and we’ll make out a plan for the year working backwards from the Classic.”
The E Dubai colt will not be returning to the racing scene anytime soon though, and it is expected that he will come out for his debut start for his 5-year-old campaign next year in March to run in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.
Janis R. Whitham’s homebred, Fort Larned capped off his 2012 season with victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park on 3 November, 2012, defeating the likes of Mucho Macho Man in second and Flat Out in third, with the winning time of
2 minutes and 0.11 seconds for 1 ¼ miles.
With that victory, Fort Larned posted his fifth of the season in 9 starts. His tally includes the Challenger Stakes victory at Tampa Bay Downs, and then going on to win the Grade 3 Skip Away Stakes at Gulfstream Park over a distance of 1 3/16 miles on 31
March, 2012.
With two consecutive losses at Churchill Downs next up, second in the Grade 2 Alysheba Stakes and then eighth in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap, Fort Larned bounced back to win the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap, and then his first ever grade 1 victory
in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, in which he defeated the Stephen Foster Handicap winner, Ron the Greek in second and Flat Out in third.
Prior to the Classic, Fort Larned was coming off a third place finish in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.
“It was a real good year; I couldn’t have asked for any better,” Wilkes said. “I’m very proud of all my horses and with everyone associated with our stable. The success we had isn’t just about me but was a team effort all around.”

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