Strong work puts Spa specialist Voodoo Song in Forbidden Apple

Early Sunday morning, Linda Rice was indecisive as to whether she was going to enter Voodoo Song in Friday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes at Saratoga. Rice, thinking the horse would benefit from more time, was leaning against and looking to run him in the Lure Stakes on Aug. 3.

Then Rice watched Voodoo Song work five furlongs in 1:00.94 over Belmont’s turf course Sunday morning complete with a strong gallop-out, and that changed her mind.

“He might need a race, but off of today’s breeze I’ll probably run,” Rice said. “It’s been a long time since he’s run, but he did breeze very well He’s probably going to get more out of a race and he’s been on a good breeze schedule.”

Saratoga has always brought out the best in Voodoo Song, the New York-bred who in 2017 went 4 for 4 at Saratoga. Last year, he won the Grade 1 Fourstardave before finishing last in the Bernard Baruch on closing day, his lone blemish over the course.

Voodoo Song hasn’t run since he finished 12th in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on Oct. 6 after which he was given a lengthy vacation.

The Forbidden Apple, one of three stakes moved from Belmont to Saratoga with the earlier start to the meet, drew a stout 10-horse field. March to the Arch, winner of the Grade 2 Wise Dan at Churchill; Hembree, beaten a nose in the Grade 3 Poker at Belmont; and Qurbaan, runner-up to Bricks and Mortar in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic, are among the notables.