David Alcosser Photo

Disco Partner faces tough test in Forbidden Apple; Pletcher pair to run in Rockville Centre

by Najja Thompson and Brian Bohl

Set to make his first start since setting a world record at six furlongs in the Grade 3 Jaipur, Patricia Generazio's Disco Partner will stretch out to a mile facing a field of 11 in Saturday's $150,000 Forbidden Apple, carded as Race 8, on Saturday at Belmont Park.

A 5-year-old home-bred of Disco Rico, Disco Partner is unbeaten in two starts this year for trainer Christophe Clement. Disco Partner has only raced past seven furlongs once, finishing second by three-quarters of a length in November of 2015 at Aqueduct Racetrack as a 3-year-old. 

Clement said Disco Partner has been training forwardly since the Jaipur and was looking forward to using the Forbidden Apple to gauge his abilities, with a possible long-term goal of the one-mile Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave on August 12 at Saratoga Race Course.

"I've always wanted to try him at a mile," Clement said. "He came out of the Jaipur great and he's been training well, so we want to see how he'll be able fare at this distance. Depending on his performance, there will certainly be more options on the table going forward."

With Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons, the pair will leave from post 9.

Grand Arch will look to rebound for owners Susan and Jim Hill and trainer Brian Lynch. The 8-year-old gelded son of Arch will be making his first start since October when he finished ninth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland. It will also mark his first non-graded stakes start running fifth in the 2015 edition of the Forbidden Apple. Clocking his final breeze for the race covering five furlongs in 1:01.05 seconds, Lynch said he was encouraged with how he is coming into the race.

"Since he's returned from his layoff he's been doing well for us and coming into the race good," said Lynch. "If he shows us what he's capable of then we'll use this as a prep race for the Fourstardave. I think he'll be forwardly placed where he runs well in a stalking position."

Set to depart from post 3, Grand Arch will be ridden by Luis Saez.

Entering off a second-place finish to fellow entrant Offering Plan in the Kingston, New York-bred veteran and fan favorite King Kreesa will attempt to kick off a productive summer campaign for owners Susan and Gerald Kresa and trainer Linda Rice.

"He's training well and has had two productive breezes coming into this race," Rice said. "We're not going to change his style, he's always been comfortable on the front end so I think he should be forwardly placed."

With Jose Ortiz aboard, the pair will leave from post 10.

Leading meet trainer Chad Brown will enter Offering Plan for owners Michael Dubb and Nantucket Thoroughbred Partners. A New York-bred son of Spring At Last, he enters off a victory in the Kingston and will be facing open company for the first time since finishing third in the last year's edition of the Grade 3 Poker.

With Javier Castellano in the irons, the pair will leave from post 6.

Rounding out the field is Mohaymen, for Shadwell Farm and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin who will make his first start on the turf off an eleventh place finish in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap; Bondurant, for owner Janis Whitham and trainer Ian Wilkes; Mr Maybe, for trainer John Toscano and Bran Jam Stable; Get Jets, for trainer Anthony Dutrow and owners Team D and Irish-bred Great Wide Open for owner and trainer Conor Murphy. Weekend Hideaway is a main track only entrant.

A pair of talented juveniles will represent trainer Todd Pletcher in the fourth running of the $100,000 Rockville Centre for New York-bred 2-year-olds at six furlongs, marking the first of two stakes on Saturday as Race 3.

Repole Stable's Analyze the Odds is the six-horse field's only previous stakes participant, coming in fifth in the Tremont on June 9 at Belmont Park following his maiden-breaking effort on April 20 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The first winner for his sire - 2013 Grade 1 Arkansas Derby winner and Belmont Stakes runner Overanalyze - Analyze the Odds has been training at Belmont, breezing four furlongs in 49.85 seconds on the training track Sunday.

"He's only run twice but he's run better than he's breezed," Pletcher said. "I'm hoping that will continue to be the case."

Analyze the Odds was bred by Lansdowne Stables in New York and sold for $15,000 as a yearling. Manny Franco will pick up the mount for the first time from the rail.

What a Catch, his stablemate, won his first start by an impressive 5 ½ lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight on June 2 on Big Sandy. Owned by Gary Barber, What a Catch breezed in company with Analyze the Odds over the weekend, marking his fourth work since that victory and first since moving from Monmouth Park.

"I thought What a Catch worked very well and Analyze the Odds was second to him," Pletcher said.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will be in the irons out of post 4.

Morning Breez also won his first start, stalking the early speed surging to the front in the 5 ½-furlong sprint, drawing clear for a 4 ¼-length win on June 23 at Belmont for trainer Carlos Martin.

Owned by John Caputo, Morning Breez will take the step up to stakes company with just a 22-day break. The son of Morning Line was a $65,000 buy at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale at Saratoga.

Morning Breez will break from post 5 with jockey Rosario Montanez aboard. 

Newport Stables' Morrison defeated a four-horse field by 17 lengths in his first career start on June 18, running clear under a drive to handily win at the Rockville Centre distance for trainer Joe Sharp. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride from post 3.

Rounding out the field is Lake Party, for trainer Gary Contessa, from post 6 and Over Salty, trained by Bisnath Parboo and also a son of Overanalyze, from post 2.