Darley Stable's Seventh Street broke to an early lead and never looked back, coasting to a dominating 5 3/4-length victory in the $490,00 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) April 4 at Oaklawn Park. Odds-on favorite Acoma, a winner of three straight graded stakes, finished a well-beaten third.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Helen Alexander and Helen Groves' homebred Acoma has been terrific in her last three wins and now the 4-year-old Empire Maker filly will try to add a grade I victory to her resume when facing a short field in the $500,000 Apple Blossom April 4 at Oaklawn Park.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Ginger Punch, last year's champion older female, had her first work since winning the Louisville Stakes (gr.II) on the morning of May 16 at Belmont Park.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Zenyatta extended her unbeaten streak to four races and defeated a champion in doing so when she took the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park April 5.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Round Pond, who won last year's Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff, is retired with a slab fracture.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Stronach Stables homebred Spun Sugar gamely held off Happy Ticket in a stretch duel to win Saturday's $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) before 29,841 at Oaklawn Park.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas brought former champion Azeri all the way back Saturday to capture the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) in smart front-running fashion over a strong field at Oaklawn Park.
Saturday, April 03, 2004
The Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park Saturday promises to be one of the more intriguing matchups of the year as six older fillies and mares have been entered, including grade I winners Azeri, Wild Spirit, Island Fashion, and Star Parade.
Thursday, April 01, 2004
Everest Stable's multiple grade I winner Island Fashion will make her next start in Saturday's $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park, trainer Marcelo Polanco said.
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Azeri breezed five furlongs in :58 3/5 Wednesday at Santa Anita under the watchful eye of owner Michael Paulson.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Everest Stables' homebred Island Fashion, who has two consecutive grade I victories to her credit, was scratched out of Monday's $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap (gr. I) at Santa Anita in favor of another grade I with a bigger purse.
Monday, February 16, 2004
Azeri, the 2002 Horse of the Year, had her first official workout in the care of her new trainer, D. Wayne Lukas Sunday morning, breezing three furlongs in :35 1/5.
Sunday, February 08, 2004
Azeri, the 2002 Horse of the Year, is progressing under new trainer D. Wayne Lukas and could defend her title in the Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park on April 3, according to owner Michael Paulson, who was at Santa Anita Thursday morning.
Thursday, January 15, 2004
Making her first start since being crowned Horse of the Year for 2002, Azeri wore down pacesetter Take Charge Lady for a game head victory in Saturday's grade I, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Saturday, April 05, 2003
Reigning Horse of the Year Azeri returns Saturday at Oaklawn Park against a solid field that includes multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady.
Tuesday, April 01, 2003
Nominations have closed for the four races at Oaklawn Park during its Racing Festival of the South. Medaglia d'Oro and Congaree are nominated to the Oaklawn Handicap.
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
A pair of cool California invaders made their way deep into the Ozark Mountains for the opening weekend of Oaklawn Park's Racing Festival of the South and came away the big winners. For the first time in Festival history, Oaklawn featured the Oaklawn and Apple Blossom Handicaps, both grade I and worth $500,000 each, on the same card, making April 6 the richest day ever in Arkansas racing.
Saturday, April 06, 2002
Trainer Richard Jackson on Wednesday declared Remington Rock a non-starter for Saturday's Oaklawn Handicap (gr. I) due to sickness. The defection of Remington Rock from Oaklawn Park's Saturday co-feature leaves an expected field of eight for the 1 1/8-mile race.
Wednesday, April 03, 2002
Jockey Pat Day will ride D. Wayne Lukas-trained Spain for the first time since winning the Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) in September of 2000 in the $500,000 Apple Blossom (gr. I) on April 6 at Oaklawn Park.
Saturday, March 30, 2002
Lu Ravi fell just short of attaining her grade I goal when she finished second to Gourmet Girl in the April 8 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park. Now with $1,819,781 in earnings, eight stakes wins, and three second-place finishes in grade I races, trainer Carl Bowman and owner Yoshio Fujita have retired the 6-year-old mare.
Wednesday, April 25, 2001
If it were just that Heritage of Gold and Lu Ravi were continuing their rivalry in Sunday's $500,000 Apple Blossom, that would be enough of a story, but this race may very well be the best filly and mare race in the country this year. Heritage of Gold and Lu Ravi have finished one-two, in that order, in all three of their Oaklawn meetings, but this time they will have to face Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Spain, who has to carry the topweight of 122 pounds.
Saturday, April 07, 2001
