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Value Proposition Headlines Field Of Ten For Forbidden Apple At Saratoga

Klaravich Stables' Value Proposition, one of three entrants for trainer Chad Brown, leads a talented field of 10 assembled for Friday's seventh running of the $150,000 Grade 3 Forbidden Apple at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

In addition to Value Proposition, the four-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner will saddle Sacred Life and Delaware in search of a first win in the one-mile inner turf test for older horses.

Value Proposition matched a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out, winning a one-mile optional-claiming event on the Belmont turf. That effort followed a close third in his seasonal debut in the seven-furlong Elusive Quality on April 24 at Belmont.

The 5-year-old Dansili ridgling made two attempts in graded company last year, finishing third in the Grade 3 Poker in July at Belmont and eighth in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in September.

Brown said he is expecting a strong effort from Value Proposition.

“He's had a few breaks in his form, but I feel that he's really matured mentally,” said Brown. “Early on, he was a bit difficult to get to focus on his job. He now appears to be much more focused and confident in his works and in his last race.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Value Proposition from post 3.

Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Bethlehem Stables' Sacred Life [post 9, Joel Rosario] enters from a rallying fourth as the beaten favorite in the Grade 2 Dinner Party on May 15 at Pimlico.

The 6-year-old French-bred son of Siyouni made a pair of starts in 2019 at Saratoga, completing the exacta in both the Lure and Grade 2 Bernard Baruch. The talented bay captured the 2017 Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud.

Delaware [post 7, Jose Ortiz], owned by Dubb, Nice Guys Stables, and Michael Caruso, will make his Saratoga debut in his 20th career start. The 5-year-old Frankel bay, a Group 3 winner in France, captured the Danger's Hour in April at Aqueduct ahead of a fourth last out in the Seek Again on May 22 at Belmont.

Augustin Stable's Grade 1-placed Corelli enters from a closing third in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Monmouth, contested over good going on June 5.

The 6-year-old Point of Entry gelding ran third in last year's 11-furlong Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth ahead of a distant fifth in the 12-furlong Grade 1 Sword Dancer over soft going at Saratoga.

A winner of the 1 1/16-mile Henry S. Clark at Pimlico in April in his seasonal debut, Corelli will turn back to one mile for the first time in his 16-race career.

“I thought his best race on paper was the mile and a sixteenth race because he had some pace to run into,” said Thomas. “I don't know that he's a real mile and three-eighths horse. He may, ideally, be a mile and an eighth horse. He does seem to like to come with a run. so what we're hoping for is to get a real pace to close into.”

Thomas said he will continue to seek out opportunities up to nine furlongs for the bay gelding.

“He ran well going a mile and three-eighths last year, but he was getting weaker as the race went on, not stronger,” said Thomas. “So, the turnback seems to suit him a little bit.”

Corelli will exit post 2 under Manny Franco.

Bond Racing Stable's New York-bred Rinaldi has proven to be a horse-for-course at Saratoga with three wins from four attempts, including scores in the NYSSS Spectacular Bid and NYSSS Cab Calloway in 2019 and the West Point for state-breds in September. His lone losing effort came with a strong fourth in the Grade 3 Saranac in August.

The 5-year-old Posse gelding, bred in the Empire State by Barry Ostrager, was a pace-setting second in the one-mile Danger's Hour in his seasonal debut in April at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Luis Saez will have the call from the inside post.

Calumet Farm's well-bred Flying Scotsman, a 5-year-old English Channel chestnut, will look to get back to winning ways after off-the-board efforts in his last three starts for trainer Jack Sisterson.

Out of the French Deputy mare Padmore, Flying Scotsman is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Leigh Court and 11-time winning stablemate Bon Raison. A four-time winner from 14 starts, Flying Scotsman finished sixth last out, defeated just 2 1/4-lengths, in the Grade 2 Dinner Party at Pimlico.

Flying Scotsman captured the 2018 Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille for Hall of Fame conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer and won the 2019 Woodchopper at Fair Grounds in his third start for Sisterson.

Ricardo Santana, Jr. will pilot Flying Scotsman from post 6.

Rounding out the field are graded-stakes placed New York-bred Therapist [post 4, Javier Castellano]; multiple graded stakes winner Made You Look [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione]; allowance winner Sanctuary City [post 8, Dylan Davis]; and multiple graded stakes placed Logical Myth [post 10, John Velazquez].

The Forbidden Apple is slated as Race 9 on Friday's 10-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Althiqa, Summer Romance Prepare For Diana Stakes At Saratoga

Trainer Charlie Appleby sent out Althiqa and Summer Romance to a one-two finish in the $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5 going one mile on turf for fillies and mares at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

On Sunday, the 4-year-old fillies breezed a half-mile in company in :52.55 over the Belmont inner turf rated good. Althiqa started out in front of her stablemate with Summer Romance making up ground through the stretch run, galloping out in front.

Appleby's traveling assistant Sophie Chretien said Summer Romance benefits from having a target.

“She relaxes more from behind and it's better for her to develop,” said Chretien. “They're both doing very well. With the way the weather has been lately, I'm glad we were able to do the gallop today.”

Both fillies are preparing for a start in the nine-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 Diana on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

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Pletcher Plans Saratoga Starts For Con Lima, Malathaat

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher saddled Con Lima and Sainthood for formidable efforts in Saturday's opening legs of the Turf Triple series with the former a front-running second in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks and the latter a close fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima, who entered the Belmont Oaks from a prominent win in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again, set a smart pace under Flavien Prat in the 10-furlong test over good going. The Commissioner filly opened up a 1 1/2-length lead at the stretch call and fought bravely to the wire, falling just a half-length short of the rallying Santa Barbara.

Pletcher said Con Lima will likely progress to the 1 3/16-mile $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

“She ran her heart out. It was a big effort from her,” said Pletcher. “She handled the distance fine and ran well enough to give her another shot.”

CHC and WinStar Farm's Sainthood, a dark bay son of Mshawish, enjoyed a ground-saving trip under Joel Rosario in his turf debut in the G1 Belmont Derby.

Sitting just off a moderate pace, Sainthood progressed along the inside down the lane, but failed to make up the needed ground en route to a fifth-place finish, just 2 1/4-lengths back of the victorious Bolshoi Ballet.

“He ran well. He had a good trip but just couldn't quite polish it off,” said Pletcher. “I thought he ran a respectable race.”

Pletcher said Sainthood, who graduated on the Fair Grounds dirt in February and won the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks on the Turfway Park synthetic in March, could turn back in the one-mile $200,000 Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 6 at the Spa.

“He's versatile enough and proven he can run well on three different surfaces. It leaves us with a lot of different options,” said Pletcher. “We'll see how he bounces out of it, but something like the Hall of Fame might make sense.”

WinStar Farm's Country Grammer, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in May at Santa Anita Park, breezed a half-mile in :49.22 in company with Grade 3 Peter Pan-winner Promise Keeper on the dirt training track on Sunday.

Country Grammer is working towards a start in the nine-furlong $1 million Grade 1 Whitney on August 7 at the Spa, which offers a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 6.

“He's an honest workhorse but the more we're around him it seems he's really good at just clicking off those 12s,” said Pletcher. “We'll put a couple more good works into him and have him ready for the Whitney.”

Pletcher said Woodford Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm, and Rock Ridge Racing's Promise Keeper, a sophomore son of Curlin, will target either the $600,000 Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 31 at Saratoga or the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby on August 7 at Mountaineer.

Shadwell Stable's Malathaat worked a half-mile in :49.96 on the dirt training track in company with Dynamic One on Saturday in preparation for the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies on July 24 at Saratoga

“She went great. I'm really pleased with the way she's doing,” said Pletcher. “She worked well with a big, strong gallop out. We'll probably have one breeze at Saratoga and she'll be ready to go.”

Undefeated in five starts, Malathaat won the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks last out on April 30 on the heels of a head score in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland.

Out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, Malathaat has worked consistently with Dynamic One, runner-up in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino in April, who finished 18th last out in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

“They've been workmates coming off similar schedules from the Oaks and Derby. They make good mates. She doesn't have any trouble holding her own,” said Pletcher, who noted that Dynamic One is probable for the $120,000 Curlin on July 30 at Saratoga.

Pletcher said the connections had contemplated starting Malathaat against the boys in the 12-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in June, but that the filly has flourished with time between starts.

“We were strongly considering the Belmont, but my biggest concern was we had the two races back-to-back with the Ashland and the Oaks,” said Pletcher. “I was afraid a gut-wrenching mile and a half could set her back and it's paid off. She's gained some weight and trained very well. Hopefully, it sets her up for a good Saratoga. She's pretty special. We're blessed to have her. You don't come across many like her.”

Pletcher said if all goes well in the Coaching Club American Oaks, a start in the $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama on August 21 is likely.

Pletcher will saddle a pair of Shadwell Stable homebreds in Ajaaweed and Arham in a nine-furlong allowance event on the main track on Thursday, Opening Day of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course.

Slated for Race 7 on the 10-race card, Ajaaweed will exit post 12 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, while Arham will leave from post 4 under Luis Saez.

The multiple graded stakes-placed Ajaaweed worked a bullet half-mile over the Belmont turf in June, but Pletcher said he preferred to re-group on the main track after the colt's off-the-board effort last out in the Grade 2 Brooklyn.

“It didn't seem to me like he relished the turf even though the time seemed good,” said Pletcher. “He was kind of all-in I thought, so we'll give him another shot on the dirt and see how it goes. Dropping back into an allowance race should help him. I'm not crazy about the 12 post, but we'll do the best we can with it.”

Arham, a 4-year-old son of Union Rags, matched a career-best 91 Beyer last out with a runner-up effort in a 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance on June 19 at Belmont. He added blinkers for a bullet half-mile breeze in :48.62 on July 8 on the Belmont dirt training track.

“The horse is doing really well,” said Pletcher. “His last race was good and we're adding blinkers because he seemed a little unfocused. I thought he worked well with the blinkers and I expect him to take a step forward.”

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Brown Prepares Lemista, Pocket Square For Diana At Saratoga

Trainer Chad Brown breezed a number of horses over the Belmont Park inner turf on Sunday morning, including Lemista and Pocket Square who are both on target for the $500,000 Grade 1 Diana on July 17 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The pair of Diana aspirants worked five furlongs in company with Lemista completing her work in bullet time of 1:01.80 outside of Pocket Square, who finished off in 1:01.89.

Owned by Peter Brant, Lemista earned a 100 Beyer in her North American debut in the Grade 3 Beaugay on May 8 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., finishing a late-closing second to Harvey's Lil Goil. The 4-year-old daughter of 2008 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass was a Group 2 winner three starts back at the Curragh over yielding going.

Juddmonte Farm's Pocket Square, a Group 3 winner in France, was impressive in her North American debut on April 7 at Keeneland and subsequently was fifth as the lukewarm favorite in the Grade 1 Longines Just a Game on June 5 at Belmont.

“They both worked well with one another and are going to the Diana,” Brown said. “Lemista has relished the time in between her races. With Pocket Square, I'm drawing a line through the Just a Game. She was lined up so well going into that race and there were things I was hopeful she would be able to overcome, but it didn't quite work out.”

Brown has won the Diana six times, including the past five editions with talented turf distaffers Dacita [2016], Lady Eli [2017], Sistercharlie [2018-19], and Rushing Fall [2020].

On Saturday, Brown sent out Michael Ryan, Jeff Drown, and Team Hanley's Higher Truth for her stakes debut in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, finishing a close third, beaten a half-length to Santa Barbara.

Brown said the daughter of the late Galileo will target the $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8.

“I thought she ran well. I was proud of her effort,” Brown said. “It looked like she was in for a good chance late in the race and picked up a piece of it at the end. We'll probably move on to the next leg [of the Turf Triple series].”

Higher Truth arrived at the Belmont Oaks off two starts at ten furlongs, breaking her maiden by a half-length over the inner turf on April 22 before defeating winners on June 10.

“She's had three mile and a quarter races in a row, so she's gained a lot of experience and fitness,” Brown said. “I think down the road, she'll be able to run even further.”

Brown said he could have at least two fillies for the Saratoga Oaks as Rocky Sky, previously considered for the Belmont Oaks, opted to wait for the second leg.

Owned by Peter Brant, Rocky Sky is a two-time winner in her native Ireland, capturing the ten-furlong Salsabil last out on April 25.

“We thought she would benefit from more time going into the Saratoga Oaks, so that's where she's headed to,” said Brown.

Brown said recent allowance optional claiming winner Amy C will target the $150,000 Grade 3 Lake George, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies on July 13 at the Spa.

Owned by Madaket Stable, Michael Dubb, and Robert V. LaPenta, the 3-year-old daughter of Charming Thought broke her maiden in March at Deauville before shipping to North America.

“It was a nice first time from out of the country for us. It seems like she's ready for a stakes now,” Brown said.

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