An unbeaten champion in his native Argentina, Forli was one of the few horses to capture the Quadruple Crown, a series requiring 3-year-olds to best their peers at distances from 1600 meters to 2500 meters and then tackle their elders in Argentina's premier all-aged race, the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini. He seemed poised for further laurels after setting a Hollywood Park course record in his first North American start but broke down in his next race, ending both his unbeaten skein and his racing career. He became a good sire at Claiborne Farm. His greatest runner was three-time American Horse of the Year Forego, but he had his most profound impact on pedigrees through his daughter Special, the dam of Nureyev and the second dam of Sadler's Wells and Fairy King.
Race record
10 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$156,410 (including converted foreign earnings)
1966:
1967:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf horses of 1967, 3 pounds below highweighted War Censor and 2 pounds below 1967 American champion turf horse Fort Marcy (a 3-year-old), 1966 American champion turf horse Assagai, and the fine stayer Niarkos.
As an individual
A chestnut standing 16.1 hands, Forli was a short-coupled, short-cannoned horse with excellent muscling through the forearms and gaskins. His pasterns were rather short and upright. He was a confirmed front runner on the track.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Forli sired 323 winners (44.9%) and 59 stakes winners (8.2%) from 720 named foals. Thoroughbred Times credits him with 60 stakes winners (8.4%). Forli is a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Notable progeny
Asteroid Field (USA), Fordham (USA), Forego (USA), Formidable (USA), Intrepid Hero (USA), Key to Content (USA), Mademoiselle Forli (USA), Posse (USA), Sadeem (USA), Special (USA), Thatch (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Always Aloof (USA), Annual Reunion (USA), Fairy Bridge (USA), Fatherland (IRE), Jaazeiro (USA), Northwood Plume (AUS), Nureyev (USA), Precisionist (USA), Seattle Loaner (USA), Strudel Fitz (ARG), Swale (USA), Vertigineux (USA), Woodstream (USA)
Connections
Forli was bred by Haras Ojo de Agua. He was owned by Jorge Azevedo, who raced under the name of Caballeriza Riqui. He was trained by Juan Lapistoy. Following his Quadruple Crown sweep, the colt was sold to Arthur B. “Bull” Hancock of Claiborne Farm for US$960,000 and imported to the United States, where he was trained by Charlie Whittingham. Forli entered stud in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm in 1968. He died in September 1988 and is buried at Claiborne.
Pedigree notes
Forli is inbred 4x4 to 1922 Jockey Club Stakes winner Lady Juror and 5x5 to two-time English leading sire Phalaris through Lady Juror's daughter and son Riot and Fair Trial, who were both by stallions produced by the mating of Phalaris to a daughter of Chaucer. In spite of Lady Juror's success at 14 furlongs, this inbreeding was a doubling of the speed inherent in both Phalaris and the family of Lady Juror's dam Lady Josephine, as Riot was a very good juvenile and Fair Trial was a crack sprinter-miler.
Forli is a full brother to multiple Argentine stakes winner Tirreno and Uruguayan stakes winner Tibur. He is also a full brother to Trevisana, dam of Italian Group 2 winner Sifounas (by Secretariat) and French Group 3 winner Nile Hawk (by Sham). Through her daughter Forlana, Trevisana is the second dam of multiple Grade/Group 2 winner Forlitano and Argentine Group 2 winner Friul. Forli's half sister Morosina (by Cardanil) is the dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Morosinita (by Good Manners) and Argentine Group 3 winner Spoletto (by Keats).
Forli's dam Trevisa is a winning full sister to Gran Premio Presidente de la República stakes winner Rovigo and to La Dogana, dam of Argentine stakes winner Sixtina (by Good Manners), second dam of Gran Premio Jockey Club (ARG-G1) winner Farnesio and third dam of 1976 English champion 3-year-old male and St.. Leger Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Crow, 1982 Polla de Potrillos (Argentine Two Thousand Guineas, ARG-G1) winner Pinturicchio, multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Gioconda, 1981 Gran Premio Santiago Luro (ARG-G1) winner Ariosto, and 1990 Gran Premio Criadores (ARG-G1) winner Bianca Maria. Trevisa is also a full sister to Certosa, dam of Premio Santiago Lawrie winner Commendatore (by Make Tracks), and to Venise, dam of Argentine stakes winner Tabra (by Tatán). Trevisa, in turn was produced from Veneta (by Foxglove), a winning half sister to Gran Premio Comparación winner Iago (by Adam's Apple); to 1936 Gran Premio Saturnino J. Unzue winner Venezia (by Adam's Apple), dam of the stakes-winning steeplechaser Rialto (by Congreve) and third dam of 1960 Polla de Potrillos winner Fiumé; and to Premio Ignacio Correas and Premio Gilberto Lerena winner Guideca (by Congreve), second dam of 1975 Gran Premio Internacional Dardo Rocha (ARG-G1) winner Frari.
Books and media
Forli is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
Last updated: November 17, 2024
Race record
10 starts, 9 wins, 1 second, 0 thirds, US$156,410 (including converted foreign earnings)
1966:
- Won Gran Premio Montevideo (ARG, 1500mT, Palermo)
- Won Gran Premio Polla de Potrillos (Argentine Two Thousand Guineas) (ARG, 1600mD, Palermo; new South American record 1:33-2/5)
- Won Gran Premio Jockey Club (ARG, 2200mD, Palermo)
- Won Gran Premio Nacional (Argentine Derby) (ARG, 2500mD, Palermo)
- Won Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini (ARG, 3000mT, San Isidro)
1967:
- Won Coronado Stakes (USA, 8.5FT, Hollywood; new course record 1:41-1/5)
- 2nd Citation Handicap (USA, 8.5FT, Hollywood)
Honors
- Argentine Horse of the Year (1966/1967)
- Argentine champion 2-year-old male (1965/1966)
- Argentine champion 3-year-old male (1966/1967)
Assessments
Rated at 121 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American turf horses of 1967, 3 pounds below highweighted War Censor and 2 pounds below 1967 American champion turf horse Fort Marcy (a 3-year-old), 1966 American champion turf horse Assagai, and the fine stayer Niarkos.
As an individual
A chestnut standing 16.1 hands, Forli was a short-coupled, short-cannoned horse with excellent muscling through the forearms and gaskins. His pasterns were rather short and upright. He was a confirmed front runner on the track.
As a stallion
According to Jockey Club records, Forli sired 323 winners (44.9%) and 59 stakes winners (8.2%) from 720 named foals. Thoroughbred Times credits him with 60 stakes winners (8.4%). Forli is a Classic chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per the American Racing Manual (Daily Racing Form) series:
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1975.
- 9th on the American broodmare sire list in 1984
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 6th on the American general sire list in 1975.
- 9th on the American broodmare sire list in 1984.
Notable progeny
Asteroid Field (USA), Fordham (USA), Forego (USA), Formidable (USA), Intrepid Hero (USA), Key to Content (USA), Mademoiselle Forli (USA), Posse (USA), Sadeem (USA), Special (USA), Thatch (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Always Aloof (USA), Annual Reunion (USA), Fairy Bridge (USA), Fatherland (IRE), Jaazeiro (USA), Northwood Plume (AUS), Nureyev (USA), Precisionist (USA), Seattle Loaner (USA), Strudel Fitz (ARG), Swale (USA), Vertigineux (USA), Woodstream (USA)
Connections
Forli was bred by Haras Ojo de Agua. He was owned by Jorge Azevedo, who raced under the name of Caballeriza Riqui. He was trained by Juan Lapistoy. Following his Quadruple Crown sweep, the colt was sold to Arthur B. “Bull” Hancock of Claiborne Farm for US$960,000 and imported to the United States, where he was trained by Charlie Whittingham. Forli entered stud in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm in 1968. He died in September 1988 and is buried at Claiborne.
Pedigree notes
Forli is inbred 4x4 to 1922 Jockey Club Stakes winner Lady Juror and 5x5 to two-time English leading sire Phalaris through Lady Juror's daughter and son Riot and Fair Trial, who were both by stallions produced by the mating of Phalaris to a daughter of Chaucer. In spite of Lady Juror's success at 14 furlongs, this inbreeding was a doubling of the speed inherent in both Phalaris and the family of Lady Juror's dam Lady Josephine, as Riot was a very good juvenile and Fair Trial was a crack sprinter-miler.
Forli is a full brother to multiple Argentine stakes winner Tirreno and Uruguayan stakes winner Tibur. He is also a full brother to Trevisana, dam of Italian Group 2 winner Sifounas (by Secretariat) and French Group 3 winner Nile Hawk (by Sham). Through her daughter Forlana, Trevisana is the second dam of multiple Grade/Group 2 winner Forlitano and Argentine Group 2 winner Friul. Forli's half sister Morosina (by Cardanil) is the dam of multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Morosinita (by Good Manners) and Argentine Group 3 winner Spoletto (by Keats).
Forli's dam Trevisa is a winning full sister to Gran Premio Presidente de la República stakes winner Rovigo and to La Dogana, dam of Argentine stakes winner Sixtina (by Good Manners), second dam of Gran Premio Jockey Club (ARG-G1) winner Farnesio and third dam of 1976 English champion 3-year-old male and St.. Leger Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Crow, 1982 Polla de Potrillos (Argentine Two Thousand Guineas, ARG-G1) winner Pinturicchio, multiple Argentine Group 1 winner Gioconda, 1981 Gran Premio Santiago Luro (ARG-G1) winner Ariosto, and 1990 Gran Premio Criadores (ARG-G1) winner Bianca Maria. Trevisa is also a full sister to Certosa, dam of Premio Santiago Lawrie winner Commendatore (by Make Tracks), and to Venise, dam of Argentine stakes winner Tabra (by Tatán). Trevisa, in turn was produced from Veneta (by Foxglove), a winning half sister to Gran Premio Comparación winner Iago (by Adam's Apple); to 1936 Gran Premio Saturnino J. Unzue winner Venezia (by Adam's Apple), dam of the stakes-winning steeplechaser Rialto (by Congreve) and third dam of 1960 Polla de Potrillos winner Fiumé; and to Premio Ignacio Correas and Premio Gilberto Lerena winner Guideca (by Congreve), second dam of 1975 Gran Premio Internacional Dardo Rocha (ARG-G1) winner Frari.
Books and media
Forli is one of 205 stallions whose accomplishments at stud are profiled in Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, The Australian Bloodhorse Review), a massive reference work written by Jennifer Churchill, Andrew Reichard and Byron Rogers.
Fun facts
- Forli was the second Argentine Quadruple Crown winner bred by Haras Ojo de Agua. The first was the brilliant filly La Mission, who completed her sweep in 1940.
Last updated: November 17, 2024