Under his second dam, Tree of Knowledge, Forbidden Apple shows another BC star of the recent past, Theatrical. Allen Paulson's champion took the '87 Turf for trainer Bill Mott when as the 9-5 favorite (coupled with Louis le Grand) he held off Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) winner Trempolino to score by a half-length. Previously he had finished eleventh for Irish trainer Dermot Weld in the Turf, and second for Bobby Frankel.
Kelso Handicap (gr. IIT) winner Forbidden Apple has some Breeders' Cup history close up in his pedigree, notably half- brothers Paradise Creek, who contested three Cups, and Wild Event, ninth in Spinning World's 1997 Mile (gr. IT) for Arthur Appleton and trainer Lou Goldfine. The dam of all three, North of Eden, was only placed at three in Ireland, but has produced three grade/group I winners from nine foals to race.Paradise Creek, by Irish River, ran in the 1992 Mile at three, finishing three lengths behind the mighty Lure as a 30-1 member of the "field" for owner Bert Firestone and trainer Bill Mott. The following year, again with Pat Day in the saddle, Paradise Creek came home eighth to Lure. Switched to the Turf (gr. IT) in 1994, and racing for Masayuki Nishiyama, Paradise Creek finished third behind Tikkanen when an odds-on favorite at Churchill Downs, beaten three lengths. Day got him to the lead with a half mile to run and was still there at the stretch call, but Paradise Creek weakened late.Forbidden Apple, seventh in the Mile last year at 29-1, was his sire Pleasant Colony's 15th Breeders' Cup starter. Dad boasts three seconds from Pleasant Tap (twice) and Colonial Waters, but a victory from Pleasant Stage in the 1991 Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). British-born, California-based trainer Chris Speckert, who also conditioned Pleasant Tap, got his only BC win when Pleasant Stage came from last to win by a head from La Spia for Eddie Delahoussaye at Churchill Downs. The Buckland Farm runner would subsequently be voted the divisional championship.
