Forte Dei Marmi Eyes Sky Classic Defense

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Fresh off his first win of the season, Forte Dei Marmi will try to win the $200,000 Sky Classic Stakes (Can-IIT) for a second straight season Aug. 18 at Woodbine.

After failing to hit the board in his first three starts this season, all in the U.S., Stella Perdomo's Forte Dei Marmi returned to top form when in Canada in his fourth start as a 7-year-old. The Selkirk gelding overwhelmed eight rivals in the Singspiel Stakes (Can-IIIT) July 7 at Woodbine, cruising to a 6 1/4-length victory in that 1 1/2-mile turf race.

Trainer Roger Attfield will have Forte Dei Marmi shorten to 1 1/4 miles when he returns to the Woodbine turf for Sunday's Sky Classic. The race for 3-year-olds and older has attracted seven other entries. Forte Dei Marmi will start from post 3 and carry high weight of 121 pounds.

Jockey Alex Solis guided Forte Dei Marmi to victory in last year's Sky Classic but this year Eurico Rosa Da Silva, currently second by earnings and wins at the current Woodbine meet, will be in the irons.

Awaiting Forte Dei Marmi will be last year's Canadian champion 3-year-old filly and grass female Irish Mission. A year ago, Robert S. Evans' Irish Mission defeated males from her age group in the Breeders' Stakes.

The daughter of Giant's Causeway   enters off a 9 1/4-length rout of fillies and mares in a July 24 allowance race on the Woodbine turf. She will carry 112 pounds when she faces older males Sunday.

$200,000 Sky Classic Stakes (Can-II, race 6, approximate post time 3:28 p.m.) 3YO&Up, 1 1/4 miles, turf
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Hotep (ON), J. Campbell, 117, M. Pierce
2. Perfect Timber (ON), S. Bahen, 117, R. Attfield
3. Forte Dei Marmi (GB), E. Da Silva, 121, R. Attfield
4. Hampstead North (ON), E. Wilson, 117, B. Lynch
5. Classic Bryce (ON), J. Stein, 117, D. Banach
6. Irish Mission (ON), G. Boulanger, 112, M. Frostad
7. Grand Arch (KY), L. Contreras, 117, B. Lynch
8. Peyton (ON), T. Kabel, 117, M. Doyle