HOT SPRINGS - All class.
Heavily favored Close Hatches recorded her third career Grade I victory with a comfortable 1¼ -length front-running victory under Joel Rosario in the $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap for older fillies and mares Friday afternoon at Oaklawn.
The Apple Blossom was essentially a replay of the$200,000 Grade II Azeri Stakes on March 15, when Close Hatches, again breaking from the rail, dictated the pace from the start en route to a 1¼ -length victory.
“She’s really classy,” said Rosario, who also rode Close Hatches in the Azeri. “I was always confident.”
Defending Apple Blossom champion On Fire Baby, who chased Close Hatches from the start, finished a game second, a length ahead of late-running Stanwyck.
“I’m good with this,” said Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage, trainer of On Fire Baby. “She ran her race.”
Let Faith Arise and Rose to Gold trailed in the compact five-horse field.
Close Hatches, bet down to 3-5 by an on-track crowd of 21,440, paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10. On Fire Baby paid $3.20 and $2.60. Stanwyck paid $3.
Under top weight of 121 pounds, Close Hatches ran 11-16 miles over a fast track in 1:42.75.
Close Hatches represented a record fourth Apple Blossom victory for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who also won the race in 1984 with Heatherten, 1985 with Sefa’s Beauty and 1998 with Escena.
Mott, Oaklawn’s leading trainer in 1986, said he believes Heatherten was his first career Grade I victory. Grade I races are the most prestigious in the country.
“Well, I just feel younger,” Mott said with a laugh. “It’s nice to still be able to do it. I’m as passionate about winning this one as I was when I won the one in 1998 and then the one in 1984, or whenever the first one was.”
Close Hatches, a 4-year old daughter of First Defence, races for the famed Juddmonte Farms of Prince Khalid bin Abdullah, a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family.
Close Hatches was a two time Grade I winner and finalist for an Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly.
The Apple Blossom, the seventh victory in 10 lifetime starts for Close Hatches, based this winter in Florida, increased her earnings to $1,847,300.
“I wasn’t even watching the fractions,” Mott said. “I was just watching her and it seemed like she was going easy enough. Joel had her into the bridle and she had her ears pricked.”
Close Hatches maintained a clear advantage through honest splits of :23.47, :46.79 and 1:10.78 for 6 furlongs. She passed the mile in 1:36.30.
The Apple Blossom winner was never seriously threatened late.
“She’s very special,” Mott said.
Mott said Close Hatches will be pointed for the $1 million Grade I Ogden Phipps Handicap on June 7 at Belmont Park in New York.
Day 52 glance
ATTENDANCE 21,440 ON-TRACK WAGERING $1,549,415 TOTAL WAGERING 4,737,766.80 FRIDAY’S STARS Ricardo Santana Jr. rode three winners, including two for trainer Steve Asmussen, who clinched his third consecutive Oaklawn training title when All Star Bell won the fourth race. Santana and Danny Caldwell (owner) had already clinched Oaklawn titles. Calvin Borel rode two winners.
Oaklawn today FIRST POST 12:10 p.m.
RACES ON CARD 12 CLASSIX CARRYOVER $37,971.11 (mandatory payout) TRAIL’S END 6:36 p.m.
TODAY’S STAKES (Races 8-9-10-11) $100,000 NORTHERN SPUR, 1 mile, 4:10 p.m.
$100,000 INSTANT RACING, 6 furlongs, 4:49 p.m.
$600,000 OAKLAWN HANDICAP, 11/8 miles, 5:27 p.m.
$1 MILLION ARKANSAS DERBY, 11/8 miles, 6:07 p.m.
Sports, Pages 21 on 04/12/2014