Franco sweeps Belmont Park stakes with Voodoo Song, La Fuerza

Jockey Manny Franco celebrated a three-win day on Saturday at Belmont Park in style, with two of the scores coming in the program’s featured stakes for owner Barry K. Schwartz and breeder Stonewall Farm.

Franco guided VOODOO SONG to a front-running victory in the $150,000 Forbidden Apple Stakes, steadying his mount when the chestnut colt veered in at the start. Voodoo Song soon settled into stride on the front end, established splits of :23.29, :46.30 and 1:08.94, and pulled off the one-length victory in a final time of 1:31.67 going a mile over the firm Widener turf.

"The plan was to let him do what he wanted to do. He went to the lead. I tried to slow him down a little bit and he did, it worked out," Franco said. "The last time, he went a little (fast), I figured this time if I went around :46, that was my goal.

"He is game all the time. He always keeps trying. He gave me all he had."

Trained by Linda Rice, Voodoo Song entered the Forbidden Apple off a third-place run in the Poker Stakes (G3) over course and distance on June 17. He returned $12 on Saturday as the 5-1 third choice in the seven-horse field.

Projected rallied to take second by a neck over Offering Plan, with Mr Havercamp three parts of a length back in fourth. Disco Partner was the near 6-5 favorite to repeat in the Forbidden Apple after taking last year’s edition by 3 1/4 lengths but could only manage fifth this time around after being bumped by the winner at the start. Blind Ambition and Pocket Changed completed the order of finish.

Voodoo Song is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having captured last year’s Saranac Stakes (G3) at Saratoga. The four-year-old son of English Channel also ran a close second in the Commonwealth Derby (G3) last season, and now boasts a 15-7-2-1, $581,685 career record.

Franco kicked off his three-win day in the $98,000 Rockville Centre Stakes when LA FUERZA lived up to his 2-5 favoritism with a 4 1/2-length victory. The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Flatter completed six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:12.27 to remain perfect in two career starts.

"The main thing was to break out of there well and then try not to do too much to him," Franco said. "As soon as I had the chance to go to the outside, I just tipped him out and he exploded by himself. He's a nice horse. I knew the horse can run and I had a lot of confidence in him and I just waited for the time and he did it."

La Fuerza took his maiden debut by 7 3/4 lengths and has now banked $97,200 lifetime. The chestnut juvenile is the first registered foal out of the Proud Citizen mare Jonata, who is a half-sister to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Pinch Pie. La Fuerza’s third dam is the Sir Harry Lewis mare Prom Knight, who produced 2002 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) upsetter Volponi. This female family also includes French co-champion and multiple Group 1 winner Recitation.

Franco sandwiched a front-running score aboard Honey Graeme in the 7TH, a claiming contest, between his two stakes victories.