Value Proposition seeks elusive stakes win in Forbidden Apple
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Value Proposition has won 4 of 8 career starts. His four losses have come when he’s run in a stakes race. Friday, Value Proposition looks well spotted to end that skid when he heads a 10-horse field entered to run a mile in the Grade 3, $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes at Saratoga.
Value Proposition, a 5-year-old ridgling by Dansili, has run well enough to win a stakes, and came within a head of Casa Creed when third in the Elusive Quality on April 24 at Belmont. While Casa Creed came back to win the Grade 1 Jaipur on June 5, Value Proposition won a high-class allowance the following day, equaling a personal best with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I thought he ran super,” Brown said. “He’s been a horse that’s been a little challenging mentally at times. We finally have him in a place now where he’s very focused on his work. He’s really matured.”
Value Proposition has twice won over less-than-firm ground, a factor that could be in play Friday given the fair amount of rain that has fallen this week. Value Proposition won an allowance race here in 2019, the only time he’s run at Saratoga. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides from post 3.
Brown also has Delaware and Sacred Life in the Forbidden Apple.
Delaware, a 5-year-old son of Frankel, won the Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct to kick off his campaign. He then finished fourth behind a loose-on-the-lead Get Smokin in the Seek Again.
“He’s the kind of horse that needs pace and he’ll come with a nice run like he did in the Danger’s Hour,” Brown said. “I’m hoping getting back to two turns like he was at Aqueduct is going to set up for him. I think he prefers that the more I’m seeing of him.”
Brown believes both Delaware, who drew post 7, and Sacred Life, who two starts back ran third in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland, would move up over soft ground. Brown feels a mile might be “a tick short” for Sacred Life, who breaks from post 9 under Joel Rosario.
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The New York-bred Rinaldi returns to Saratoga, where he has won three times from four starts, albeit all against statebred competition. He did run a good second in the Danger’s Hour, setting the pace before getting run down by Delaware.
The front-running Rinaldi will break from the rail and will be reunited with Luis Saez – aboard for all four of his victories. Trainer James Bond expects Saez will “let him roar” away from the gate.
Flying Scotsman, trained by Jack Sisterson for Calumet Farm, looks like the other primary speed in the field.
Logical Myth cuts back to a mile after running second in the Prince George’s County Stakes going nine furlongs on June 13 at Pimlico.
Corelli, Therapist, Made You Look, and Sanctuary City complete the field.