Apple Blossom Stakes (Grade 1)

THE Grade 1 Apple Blossom Stakes at Oaklawn had only a four-horse field but it provided a fitting climax between two of the highest-class fillies in the US.

D Wayne Lukas’ favourite Secret Oath looked to have the race in the bag as she wheeled off the final bend after taking over from early leader Hot And Sultry, but with a long, determined stretch run, Clairiere and Joel Rosario reeled her in and triumphed by a neck on the line.

Hot And Sultry had opened up four lengths on the field and maintained a similar advantage through fractions of :24.01secs and :47.88secs with Secret Oath in second, followed a few more lengths back by Clairiere. By the time they were approaching the quarter-pole, Secret Oath comfortably had the leader’s measure but Clairiere was six lengths back.

With Secret Oath clear in midstretch, it looked as if Clairiere had too much left to do. Joel Rosario, however, knew his mare’s capabilities. Clairiere surged in front just before the wire, stopping the clock in 1m 43.36sec.

Responded well

“She responded really well today,” Rosario said. “I was watching the one horse (Secret Oath) in front of me. She really dug in there. I was able to get there in time. She always tries really hard.”

The beautifully-bred Stonestreet Stables mare (Curlin out of Grade 1 winner Cavorting by Bernandini) has been a model of consistency all her racing career, only once out of the first four in 18 races and with two other Grade 1s to her name.

“I thought I had them,” Gaffalione said on the second. “The filly ran all the way to the wire. She got run down.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen praised winning owner Barbara Banke of Stonestreet for keeping the mare in training this year. “For her to be in training at five, what a blessing for horse racing,” he said.

Clairiere was unable to catch Secret Oath in the March 11th Azeri Stakes having been third in the great finish to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in the three-way photo, third by two noses behind the great Malathaat.

In Italian in control

Jenny Wiley Stakes (Grade 1)

KEENELAND’s filly and mare Grade 1 contest over a mile and half a furlong on turf provided a decisive winner when Chad Brown’s Dubawi mare In Italian quickened clear around the home turn and never looked like being overhauled as Godolphin and Charlie Appleby’s With The Moonlight stayed on for second, three lengths behind, from White Frost in third.

The outcome looked certain from a long way as the short-priced favourite raced strongly on the lead for Irad Ortiz Jr.

“She broke quick out of the gate and then she relaxed. Her ears were up. She does that all the time. I was confident. I tried to relax her going into the first turn, and she switched off.” Ortiz told reporters. “She deserves all the credit. She got the job done.”

“She’s a wonderful mare. She’s been good from the very beginning, and we’re very proud to have her,” owner Peter Brant added. She had been bought for his White Birch Farm at the Tattersalls October Yearlings in 2019 for 475,000gns.

There was no luck for Godolphin and Appleby with Modern Games in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile won impressively by Lael Stable’s Chez Pierre.

GODOLPHIN’s First Mission, a Street Sense colt, came with an impressive run up the rail to win Keeneland’s Grade 3 Lexington Stakes for Brad Cox and Luis Saez, announcing himself as a contender for classic consideration, but in the Preakness Stakes not the Derby. It was a half-length back to Arabian Lion and Disarm four lengths back.

The Lexington was the final points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Disarm, the only runner with a shot at making the field, earned six points with a third-place finish, putting him into the probable Derby field with 46 points.

Disarm’s owner, Ron Winchell of Winchell Thoroughbreds, said that as long as his Asmussen-trained Gun Runner colt came back in good shape, the Derby was under consideration.

“We were hoping for better than third but it looked like he had a little difficulty in the first turn. We’ve always thought a mile-and-a-quarter would be fine for him.”

Reincarnate is the last points-earner in with 45 points on the Derby leaderboard. Three others with 45 points remain on the outside of the top 18 on earnings: Jace’s Road, Skinner and Cyclone Mischief.

Trainer Wesley Ward, also the trainer of Campanelle, for Stonestreet Stables) horse involved” said of the Irish-bred National Defense colt – “Royal Ascot is always the end goal”.