Donato’s Saratoga selections for Friday, July 16, 2021 | The Daily Gazette
SECTIONS
Today’s card is highlighted in the ninth race by the Grade III Forbidden Apple Stakes, run on the inner turf over one mile, and this race may come down to two horses taking seemingly opposite approaches to the race.
Value Proposition (5-2) is returning to his comfort zone, while Corelli (10-1) is looking to change things up.
Value Proposition has been at his best running one mile on turf, hitting both of his triple-digit Beyer speed ratings at that distance and collecting a pair of wins. He has also raced well under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., adding a pair of wins during four races together. Value Proposition rides with both distance and rider together for the first time since the Grade III Poker Stakes on July 4 last year at Belmont, where he battled through an outside draw and heavy traffic in the stretch for a gutsy third-place finish. The ride can be expected to be smoother this time around.