Finish Lines

Millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner Clairiere, corunner-up in voting for an Eclipse Award as the country’s champion older dirt female of 2022, is pointing for the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 11 at Oaklawn, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said Saturday afternoon. The Azeri is the final major local prep for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 15. Both races are 1 1/16 miles. Clairiere finished second in the 2022 Apple Blossom. Millionaire Grade 1 winner Secret Oath is also scheduled to make her 2023 debut in the Azeri, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. … Millionaire multiple Grade 2 winner Lone Rock continued preparations for his 2023 debut by working a halfmile in :51.60 Sunday morning at Oaklawn for trainer Robertino Diodoro. The track was muddy. Diodoro said the 8-year-old gelding will continue to target marathon races like the $150,000 Temperence Hill Stakes for older horses at 1 ½ miles April 2 at Oaklawn. Lone Rock won last year’s Temperence Hill. … Diodoro, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 2022-2023, said Sunday morning that Lovely Ride remains on track to make her next start in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares Feb. 4. Post positions for the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa will be drawn Monday. Lovely Ride is 2 for 2 at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting, winning the $150,000 Mistletoe Stakes at 1 mile Dec. 10 and the $150,000 Pippin Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 7. The Bayakoa is a major local prep for the Apple Blossom. Also pointing for the Bayakoa is Pippin runner-up Ice Orchid, trainer John Ortiz said Sunday morning. … Grade 3 winner Senor Buscador has three published workouts this month at Sunland Park and there’s a chance he could run at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting that ends May 6, trainer Todd Fincher said Wednesday afternoon. Senor Buscador gave 2021-2022 Oaklawn co-leading rider Francisco Arrieta his first career graded stakes victory in the United States in the $300,000 Ack Ack Stakes (G3) Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs and completed his 2022 campaign with an eighth-place finish in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland. “He could (run) at the end of the meet,” Fincher said. “It’s a possibility.” Fincher is based at Sunland Park and has a small string this season at Oaklawn.