Apple Blossom Handicap (Grade 1)
CE Ce had staked her claim as the best female on the US West Coast with a victory in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile Stakes at Santa Anita last month and the four-year-old filly further enhanced her reputation when she defeated a star-studded group field to win the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn on Saturday
The field included nine other graded stakes winners, three of whom were Grade 1 winners. The four-year-old Elusive Quality filly also did it from the wide draw in 14.
Bred and owned by Bo Hirsch and trained by Michael McCarthy, she was able to sit in behind the leaders in fifth, only about three wide into the first turn under Victor Espinoza.
Ollie’s Candy out-sprinted Cookie Dough and Serengeti Empress to the lead with a half-mile in 45.51secs. The leader sped away from her pace-chasing rivals and it was only Ce Ce who loomed up the danger.
Ollie’s Candy held Ce Ce for much of the stretch, but once Espinoza asked Ce Ce for all she had, she got up to win by a head.
“I hit the first turn three or four wide, and it was perfect,” Espinoza said. “I was smiling because it was exactly what I wanted. Down the backside, I had to put her in the race because I didn’t want the speed to get away from me. At the three-eighths, I put her behind the speed and just waited. It’s always fun to ride horses like Ce Ce. She’s an amazing filly.”
Point Of Honor rallied for third, shading fourth-place Street Band in a photo finish. Serengeti Empress went off favourite but faded to 11th.
Three for Whitmore
Also on the card there was a hugely popular success when Whitmore won his third Grade 3 Count Fleet Handicap.
The seven-year-old gelding rallied past Falstaff for a three-quarter-length victory. Hidden Scroll disappointed again fading to seventh.
“We’re blessed to have him,” said trainer Ron Moquett. “When you wake up every day in this game, you dream of a horse like this that you can count on and who is talented and honest.
“This is my life. This is what I live for. I will never try to be a leading trainer. I don’t have an ego. I want to develop horses and have good horses and do right by them to help them reach their potential.”
Whitmore moved past the $3 million mark in earnings for his owners which includes his trainer, Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners.
It was the ninth in 14 starts for the Pleasantly Perfect gelding at Oaklawn where he has earned $1,612,600 in seven stakes races while winning the Count Fleet a record three times. That might have been four except that he ran into eventual sprint champion Mitole in last year’s edition.
“He likes other places but here his barn is literally 30 yards from my back door. And we’re right here close to each other so it’s home for him, too,” Moquett said.
Oaklawn may offer Arkansas Derby split
NEXT week’s Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn may be run in two divisions if more than 20 entries are received.
Now to be run on the first Saturday in May, the traditional Kentucky Derby date, it looks like attracting a high-class field of three-year-olds including Breeders’ Cup winner Storm The Court, Wells Bayou (Grade 2 Louisana Derby winner), Nadal (Grade 2 Rebel Stakes winner), King Guillermo (Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby winner), Gouverneur Morris and Charlatan.
Many horses are still scrambling for points on the Derby Trail for the rescheduled classic in September. They include the highly regarded Charlatan. Bob Baffert trains Charlatan and Nadal who both worked on Monday at Santa Anita.
Charlatan has only run twice in a maiden and an allowance race, is one of the most highly ranked three-year-olds in the country but is in danger of missing out if the race is not split as only 14 runners will be allowed in a single race and places determined on prize money won. If the race gets at least 20 entrants, plans are to run two fields of at least 10.
As a stand-alone race, the Arkansas Derby is worth 170 points overall, with 100 to the winner, on the points system used to determine the field for the Kentucky Derby, now on September 5th.