Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner ROUND POND (Awesome Again) highlights a
strong field of eight distaffers entered in Saturday’s $500,000 Apple Blossom H.
(G1). The five-year-old mare opened her racing career in Hot Springs, Arkansas,
breaking her maiden in 2005 before winning the Honeybee S. and Fantasy S. (G2),
and she captured last year’s Azeri Breeders’ Cup S. (G3). Five of her seven
career victories have come at Oaklawn Park.
Owned by Fox Hill Farm, Round Pond was transferred to Michael Matz following
the Azeri and returned from a lengthy freshening to eventually capture the
Breeders’ Cup Distaff by a resounding 5 1/2 lengths, bumping her career earnings
to nearly $2 million. The five-year-old mare opened this year with a
disappointing fourth in the Rampart H. (G2) at Gulfstream Park, but she’s a
major threat to bounce back with an improved showing at Oaklawn. Edgar Prado
will retain the mount aboard the 120-pound highweight in the 1 1/16-mile Apple
Blossom.
Grade 2 queen ERMINE (Exchange Rate) captured last year’s Honeybee before
finishing second in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), and the Ronny Werner charge enters
this event in good form, finishing second in the Santa Margarita Invitational H.
(G1) and Santa Maria H. (G1) in her last two outings. Regular rider Eddie Castro
will be in from Florida for the mount. Todd Pletcher has a top contender in
INDIA (Hennessy), who notched her third straight stakes win when taking the
March 10 Azeri, and TAKE D’ TOUR (Tour d’Or) merits serious respect for
conditioner David Hawkes. The Grade 1-winning mare will take the field as far as
she can with her speed.
Kentucky Oaks victress LEMONS FOREVER (Lemon Drop Kid), last seen finishing
fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), will return to the races for Dallas
Stewart, and BAGHDARIA (Royal Academy) is an intriguing prospect for Tom Amoss.
The three-time Grade 3 winner tuned up for this event with a sharp 7 1/4-length
triumph in the Sweetheart S. at Delta Downs on March 2.
Lemons Forever will lead the post parade under a 115-pound impost that includes Mark Guidry. Next comes RAHYS’ APPEAL (Rahy), Alex Solis, 114; India,
Joe Bravo, 116; Ermine, 116; Take D’ Tour, Eibar Coa, 118; RIVER SAVAGE (Brz)
(First American), Omar Berrio, 112; Round Pond; Baghdaria, Eusebio Razo Jr.,
114.
Two races later, a field of seven will square off in the $500,000 Oaklawn H.
(G2), and LAWYER RON (Langfuhr) is the likely favorite. Now trained by Pletcher,
the four-year-old colt displayed an affinity for Oaklawn when capturing the
Arkansas Derby (G2), Rebel S. (G3) and Southwest S. for Bob Holthus in
convincing fashion, and the chestnut opened 2007 with a sharp score over
allowance/optional claiming rivals at Gulfstream Park. The 120-pound highweight
will pick up the services of Prado in the 1 1/8-mile event.
California invaders BOBOMAN (Kingmambo) and MCCANN’S MOJAVE (Memo [Chi])
finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Santa Anita H. (G1) last out,
and the latter captured the Sunshine Millions Classic S. two starts back for
trainer Steve Specht. SMOKEYJONESSUTTON (You and I) exits a third-place showing
in the New Orleans H. (G2) at Fair Grounds, and local hero JONESBORO (Sefapiano)
recorded a nice win in the Essex H. (G3) two starts back.
The contestants in post order are BROTHER BOBBY (Out of Place), Stewart
Elliott, 110; Jonesboro, Calvin Borel, 116; Smokeyjonessutton, Guidry, 112; PAPI
CHULLO (Comeonmom), Coa, 113; Lawyer Ron; McCann’s Mojave, Frank Alvarado, 116;
and Boboman, Solis, 115.