Saratoga Day 2: Grade 3 Forbidden Apple Stakes

By Rick Francis —-

Day 2 of the 2019 Saratoga race meet features a contest formerly run downstate at Belmont, the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple.

A field of ten four-year-olds and up will test the inner turf for a one mile go; let’s take a look at the contenders.

Race 9) Grade 3 Forbidden Apple 4yo & up 1 Mile TURF Post Time 5:51 EDT

7) Voodoo Song (Rice/Lezcano); English Channel 5-year-old has won 5-of-6 Saratoga turf starts highlighted by a gate-to-wire score last year in the G1 4stardave and a win in this contest last run at Belmont; rested and ready.

1) Gidu (Pletcher/Franco); exits a game victory at Belmont last month; bullet work should keep him forwardly placed once again.

8) Qurbaan (McLaughlin/Rosario); has lost back-to-backs to the turf’s best in Bricks and Mortar; winner of the G3 Baruch here a year ago will be ready to fire.

3) Hembree (Maker/Saez); has had the most consistent 2019 so far with a win and a couple of close seconds from four starts, one of those seconds coming by a nose in the Grade 3 Poker; dangerous late kick.

The field from the rail out:

1) Gidu (Pletcher/Franco)
2) First Premio (Casse/Ortiz, J)
3) Hembree (Maker/Saez)
4)Offering Plan (Brown/Castellano)
5) March to the Arch (Casse/Gaffalione)
6) Made You Look (Brown/Ortiz, I)
7) Voodoo Song (Rice/Lezcano)
8) Qurbaan (McLaughlin/Rosario)
9) Mr Havercamp (Day/Alvarado)
10) Doctor Mounty (McGaughey/Velazquez)

SELECTIONS: 7, 1, 8, 3