Disco Partner Easily Takes $150,000 Forbidden Apple

ELMONT, NY – Stretching out to a mile for the first time in 20 months, Patricia Generazio’s homebred Disco Partner left no doubt about his ability to go longer when winning Saturday’s $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes at Belmont Park.

Stalking the pace set by King Kreesa and Cerise’s Prince, Disco Partner and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., saved ground along the rail. The pair followed closely through opening fractions of :23.91, :46.84, and 1:10.10 while matched on the outside by Grand Arch.

Displaying his impressive turn of foot, the Christophe Clement trainee met the leaders off of the turn before blowing away to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

“I think he’s a very nice horse,” said Clement. “He trained great, he gets on very well with Irad, and I just think 6 (furlongs), 7/8,  to a mile, he can do whatever he wants. He ran well.”

Showing no signs of fatigue after breaking the track record in the 6-furlong Grade 3 Jaipur Invitational here on June 10, the 5-year-old son of Disco Rico completed the mile over the Widener turf course in 1:33.49.

“He’s a nice horse and he has a good mind,” said Ortiz, Jr. “He broke good and he’s there when you ask him. He waits until you need him at the end, that’s his style. He can do anything; he can go a mile, he can sprint. I’m happy with him.”

Trailing behind Disco Partner throughout, Get Jets couldn’t match his closing strides but still managed to get up for second by a neck over Bondurant, who was a neck in front of King Creesa at the line. It was another 1/2-length back to Offering Plan, with Cerise’s Prince and Grand Arch completing the order of finish. Great Wide Open, Mohaymen, Mr Maybe, and Weekend Hideaway were scratched.

The victory was Disco Partner’s third straight in 2017, all at Belmont. The winner’s share of $87,000 increased his career earnings to $708,810.

“We’ll have to think about putting together a nice summer campaign,” said Clement. “I think he’s top class. He’s not Breeders’ Cup eligible, so I’ll have to speak to Mr. and Mrs. Generazio, and we’ll try to map out the next two to three starts for him between now and the end of the year and try to do the best we can. I’ll just have to think about it.”

Disco Partner returned $4.80, $3.20, and $2.60. Get Jets brought back $5.30 and $4.20, while Bondurant paid $5.30 to show.