Day Phillips has rare Belmont starter with Mr Havercamp in Forbidden Apple

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Canadian-based trainer Catherine Day Phillips has run just one horse at Belmont Park, that being A Bit O’ Gold, who finished last in the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

On Saturday, Day Phillips will be back in New York to run Mr Havercamp in the $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes going a mile over the Widener turf. Mr Havercamp, a 4-year-old Ontario-bred gelding by Court Vision, has won 5 of 7 starts, including the Steady Growth Stakes at Woodbine by 4 3/4 lengths on June 16.

“Timing-wise, we were looking for a race,” Day Phillips said by phone from Canada. “This is four weeks after his last race at Woodbine; a mile on the turf was appealing. I was hoping it might come up a little lighter with Saratoga looming, but it seems to be a very competitive race.”

Indeed, it is. The seven-horse field is led by Disco Partner, a six-time stakes-winning New York-bred who took this race last year by 3 1/4 lengths after setting a North American record for six furlongs on turf in the Grade 3 Jaipur. Disco Partner enters this year’s Forbidden Apple off a win in the Jaipur.

Trainer Chad Brown has the uncoupled entry of Offering Plan and Projected.

Voodoo Song is also among the entrants. Last summer, Mr Havercamp finished fifth, 3 1/2 lengths behind Voodoo Song, in the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes at Saratoga. Mr Havercamp was getting an inside stalking trip that day before running up on the heels of Voodoo Song, who took off again while Mr Havercamp lost precious ground at an inopportune time.

“The race itself was a little bit awkward,” Day Phillips said. “When he was moving, they were coming back. When he was coming back, they were moving. I thought he ran well despite his bit of greenness.”

Junior Alvarado will ride Mr Havercamp, who will break from the rail.

Also on Saturday is the $100,000 Rockville Centre Stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds. La Fuerza, a 7 3/4-length debut winner, heads the field.