Grade 1-winning millionaire HYSTERICALADY (Distorted Humor), who is winless
from four tries on the synthetic tracks in California, has shipped to Oaklawn
Park for Sunday’s $175,000 Azeri S. (G3) to get the welcome feel of dirt beneath
her hooves once again. A small but select field of six distaffers has been
entered in the 1 1/16-mile event, which serves as the final local prep for the
$500,000 Apple Blossom H. (G1) at this same distance on April 5. Fittingly, the
Azeri is named in honor of the 2002 Horse of the Year and three-time champion
older mare, who captured three straight runnings of the Apple Blossom (2002-04).
Hystericalady has looked brilliant at times on the dirt. A 7 1/2-length
romper in the 2006 Hollywood Oaks (G2) on the old main track, the Jerry
Hollendorfer mare added two more impressive graded stakes victories to her
resume last year. Hystericalady rolled to a four-length victory in the Humana
Distaff (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day, and she opened up by 6 1/4 1lengths in the
Molly Pitcher S. (G2) at Monmouth. The chestnut returned to the Oceanport, New
Jersey, oval for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), and despite being marooned in
post 12, she just missed by a neck to champion Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) in
the slop.
Although Hystericalady has turned in several creditable efforts on synthetic
surfaces, including a photo-finish loss in the Lady’s Secret S. (G1) at Oak Tree
last fall, she hasn’t looked like quite the same performer. That judgment was
reinforced last time out in the Santa Monica H. (G1) at Santa Anita, where she
retreated to finish a poor fourth as the 1-5 favorite.
“She just doesn’t like that synthetic track,” Hollendorfer said, “so that’s
when we decided to take her to Oaklawn. And if she runs well in the Azeri, we’ll
move on to the Apple Blossom.”
Hystericalady picks up the services of Robby Albarado, whom Hollendorfer
trusts to carve out the right trip from post 5.
“The great thing about my mare is her versatility,” Hollendorfer said. “She
can go to the lead or come off (the pace). I’ll leave it up to Robby. He’s won a
lot of races for me over the years. He’ll have the answers.”
Spearheading the home defense is KETTLEONEUP (Victory Gallop), the 119-pound
highweight who enjoyed a banner year in 2007. After going down narrowly by a
head in last year’s Azeri, the Michael Tomlinson trainee posted a 3 3/4-length
score in the Sixty Sails H. (G3). The chestnut was well beaten when fourth to
Hystericalady in the Molly Pitcher, but she wrapped up her campaign with a pair
of stakes victories, capped by a 3 3/4-length tally in the Falls City H. (G2) on
Thanksgiving. Kettleoneup made her 2008 debut in the Pippin S. at this track and
trip, engineering a dazzling last-to-first rally to win going away by 2 1/4
lengths. Jockey Calvin Borel will enjoy the fact that Kettleoneup has drawn the
rail.
Three other Azeri entrants also prepped in the Pippin — runner-up GASIA
(Silver Deputy), third-placer CLEVER STRIKE (Smart Strike) and LEMON DROP MOM
(Lemon Drop Kid), who was a disappointing last of six.
Six-time stakes heroine BROWNIE POINTS (Forest Wildcat) will return from a
six-month layoff in this spot for Donnie Von Hemel. The five-year-old sports a
4-1-2-1 mark over the Hot Springs, Arkansas, oval, with all of her starts here
coming in stakes company. Last year at Oaklawn, Brownie Points reappeared in the
Bayakoa S. off a layoff and ran a terrific race to fall just a head short.
Regular rider Luis Quinonez, who guided her to a third-place effort in the
Gardenia H. (G3) last time out in August, will be back aboard.
Lining up next to Kettleoneup will be Gasia, Terry Thompson; Clever Strike,
Eddie Razo Jr.; Brownie Points; Hystericalady; and Lemon Drop Mom, Clinton
Potts.
Except for the highweight Kettleoneup and the 113-pound lightweight Clever
Strike, the rest will carry 115 pounds.