Value Proposition Leads Brown-Trained Trio In Forbidden Apple

ELMONT, NY – 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 Forbidden Apple (G3) at Saratoga Race Course.

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 1-mile inner turf test for older horses.

Value Proposition matched a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure last out, winning a 1-mile optional-claiming event on the Belmont turf. That effort followed a close third in his seasonal debut in the 7-furlong Elusive Quality on April 24 at Belmont.

The 5-year-old Dansili ridgling made 2 attempts in graded company last year, finishing third in the Poker (G3) in July at Belmont and eighth in the Woodbine Mile (G1) 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 Dinner Party (G2) 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 Bernard Baruch (G2). The talented bay captured the 2017 Prix Thomas Bryon (G3) 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 9-furlong Monmouth (G3), contested over good going on June 5.

The 6-year-old Point of Entry gelding ran third in last year’s 11-furlong United Nations (G1) at Monmouth ahead of a distant fifth in the 12-furlong Sword Dancer (G1) 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 1 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 3/8 horse. He may, ideally, be a mile and 1/8 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 9 furlongs for the bay gelding.

“He ran well going a mile and 3/8 last year, but he was getting weaker as the race went on, not stronger,” said Thomas. “So, the turn back 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 3 wins from 4 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 Saranac (G3) in August.

The 5-year-old Posse gelding, bred in the Empire State by Barry Ostrager, was a pace-setting second in the 1-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 3 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 4-time winner from 14 starts, Flying Scotsman finished sixth last out, defeated just 2 1/4 lengths, in the Dinner Party at Pimlico.

Flying Scotsman captured the 2018 Cecil B. DeMille (G3) 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 PM Eastern.