Apple Blossom hopefuls star in Houston over weekend

Midnight Bisou (6), ridden by Mike Smith, and Escape Clause, under by Tyler Baze, battle it out to the finish for the running of the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on Sunday, April 14, 2019. (Photo by Grace Brown of The Sentinel-Record)
Midnight Bisou (6), ridden by Mike Smith, and Escape Clause, under by Tyler Baze, battle it out to the finish for the running of the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on Sunday, April 14, 2019. (Photo by Grace Brown of The Sentinel-Record)

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Events on the last weekend in January cast Oaklawn Park's first $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap in a glowing spotlight.

Now, keep fingers crossed that all contenders for the Grade 1 event for older fillies and mares April 18 show up.

Whether Steve Asmussen brings champion Midnight Bisou for a title defense or not, the Hall of Fame trainer has another Apple Blossom candidate, herself a 2019 Oaklawn stakes winner in the Grade 3 Fantasy. Lady Apple, in her 4-year-old debut, outdueled reigning Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Express in the stretch of Sunday's Grade 3 $300,000 Sam Houston Ladies Classic.

As in the Fantasy, Lady Apple got home first with a rail-skimming ride from Ricardo Santana Jr. Curlin's daughter plugged the hole when favored Serengeti Express drifted outside after leading from the rail. The fast-rated mile and a sixteenth was run in 1:44.19, Lady Apple paying $18.40 to win. Larry and Karen Doyle (KatieRich Stables) bred the filly in Kentucky, selling a share to Phoenix Thoroughbred III. Lady Apple's fourth Grade 3 win in two years came in a six-horse field with three Grade 1 winners.

Third was Street Band, the Cotillion Handicap winner last year for trainer Larry Jones. Street Band is headed to Oaklawn, Jones said Saturday after winning the $100,000 Pippin with 4-year-old filly Whoa Nellie. The Pippin winner, he said, goes back in Oaklawn's Grade 3 $200,000 Bayakoa Feb. 17.

The last major Oaklawn prep in the filly-and-mare division is the Grade 2 $350,000 Azeri March 14. The Apple Blossom has been moved to the Saturday after the Grade 1 $1 million Arkansas Derby along with the Grade 2 $1 million Oaklawn Handicap for older mares.

 

LOOKING AHEAD

Saturday's $150,000 Martha Washington Stakes for 3-year-old fillies is to mark the seasonal debut of unbeaten Taraz for trainer Brad Cox and owner Juddmonte Farms Inc. Into Mischief's daughter, said to be towering physically, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 Sunday morning at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Two for two, she is last-out winner of Fair Grounds' $75,000 Letellier Memorial by 11 1/4 lengths Dec. 21 after taking her career debut by 7 1/2 lengths Nov. 14 at Churchill Downs.

Other early probables for the one-mile Martha Washington, said the Oaklawn racing department, are O Seraphina for trainer Joe Sharp and Seahawk Lisa for Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The race carries 17 points among the top four finishers (10 to the winner) for a Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks start May 1 at Churchill Downs. Other Oaks preps locally are the $300,000 Honeybee March 7 and the $600,000 Fantasy April 10, both Grade 3 and at 1 1/16 miles.

Also on Saturday is Oaklawn's $125,000 American Beauty for older female sprinters, Amy's Challenge set to defend her title for trainer Mac Robertson at six furlongs. Raintree Starlet, Oaklawn's 2019 Dixie Belle winner at 3 for Brian Williamson, is likely along with a Dan Peitz-trained pair of Ascot Day and Talbeya plus Pretty Greeley (John Ortiz) and Three Chords (Kenny Smith).

Oaklawn resumes racing Friday with a nine-race card starting at 1:30 p.m. The track's regular Thursday-Sunday schedule begins Feb. 6.

 

Story first published at Hot Springs Sentinel-Record.

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