Forbidden Apple critical race for Lubash

ELMONT, N.Y. – Lubash is the reigning two-time New York-bred male turf champion, an 11-time stakes winner, and an earner of $1.3 million. But has age finally caught up to the 9-year-old son of Freud, who has won 16 of his 48 career starts?

Lubash enters Saturday’s $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes at Belmont Park having run two subpar races to begin the year. He was fifth, beaten nine lengths, in the Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct, and fourth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths, in the Kingston Stakes in May. Both races were run over turf courses listed “yielding.”

Christophe Clement, who trains Lubash for the Aliyu Ben J Stables of Leonard Pivnick, said the Forbidden Apple could determine Lubash’s future.

“He has to run well, or we probably will call it a career,” Clement said Thursday. “His last two starts have been disappointing, although both races were run over softer turf. I hope we have firm turf on Saturday.”