Apple Blossom gets Oaks winner
The only thing that could make this Apple Blossom Handicap more enticing is if last year’s winner, the 2019 champion older female, were entered.
Even without Midnight Bisou — last seen finishing second to fellow Eclipse Award winner Maximum Security in the $20 million Saudi Cup — Oaklawn Park’s premier race for older females looks like a parade of Miss America contestants.
Any race with the previous year’s Kentucky Oaks winner draws attention, and Serengeti Empress goes for her second-straight Oaklawn victory today in the Grade 1 $600,000 Apple Blossom at 1 1/16 miles.
That Serengeti Empress is only 4-1 third choice in the program after winning the Grade 2 Azeri by 6 1/4 lengths March 14 can be traced to extenuating circumstances. Breaking from post 11 in a 14-horse field is not ideal, trainer Tom Amoss said, for Alternation’s daughter, who led every step in the
Azeri and Grade 1 Oaks.
“I don’t like being that far outside,” Amoss said. “But then, it’s going to be the rush to position going into the first turn. Position for us is going to the front. We’re not looking to lay second or third from that outside post. Our winning races are when she makes the lead, so we’re going. I guess the question is: How much energy are we going to have to use to get the front? On paper, it looks like quite a bit.”
Also drawing poorly was 7-2 second choice Ce Ce, last-out winner of Santa Anita’s Grade 1 Beholder Mile. Elusive Quality’s 4-year-old daughter was produced by Miss Houdini, making her a half-sister to 2009 Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem. Victor Espinoza rides for owner Bo Hirsch (same owner as the Gary Stute-trained Papa Clem) and California-based trainer Mike McCarthy.
“Obviously, Serengeti Empress, on her day, when she gets the lead, is very good,” McCarthy said. “I’ll leave that up to Victor, exactly what’s going to happen once the gates open,
but my preference would be to sit a nice stalking trip, obviously.”
The early 3-1 favorite is Come Dancing, reigning winner of Saratoga’s Grade 1 Ballerina at seven furlongs when trained by New York-based Carlos Martin. Because of health-related concerns with
COVID-19, Malibu Moon’s
6-year-old daughter was sent to Hall of Fame trainer Wayne Lukas about a month ago and shows three local breezes for her comeback race off a sixthplace Breeders’ Cup finish Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.
“It’s not too much of a short time,” said Lukas, for whom Azeri won her record third Apple Blossom in 2004, extending a streak begun under Laura de Seroux. “We’ve been able to do pretty much everything we wanted to do. In watching her train and everything, I think the two turns is well within her wheelhouse.”
Go Google Yourself won Oaklawn’s Grade 3 Bayakoa Feb. 17 for trainer Paul McGee. Others of note are Grade 1 winners Ollie’s Candy and Street Band and Grade 2 winner Point of Honor, whose trainer, George Weaver, said, “It’s a tough race, but I don’t think she’s going to disappoint us.”
From the rail out are Ollie’s Candy (Joel Rosario, 121), Coldwater (Walter De La Cruz, 50-1), Awe Emma (Corey Lanerie, 20-1), Come Dancing (Florent Geroux, 3-1), Point of Honor (Drayden Van Dyke, 101),
Street Band (Sophie Doyle,
15-1), Queen Nekia (David Cohen, 20-1), Saracosa (Martin Garcia, 30-1), Horologist (Tyler Baze, 15-1), Cookie Dough (Abel Cedillo, 10-1), Serengeti Empress (Joe Talamo, 4-1), Go Google Yourself (Brian Hernandez Jr., 4-1), Lady Apple (Ricardo Santana Jr., 15-1) and Ce Ce (Victor Espinoza, 7-2). Lady Apple won last year’s
Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn and January’s Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Post time is 5:16 p.m. for the Apple Blossom, race 10 of 11 on a card starting at 12:35 p.m.
“Look, I’m just going to be frank about it,” Amoss said. “It reads like a Breeders’ Cup in April. Everybody’s come.”