Oaklawn Barn Notes: Escape Clause Confirmed For Apple Blossom

By Jennifer Hoyt —-

Escape Clause Confirmed For Apple Blossom

There will be even more Canadian flavor in the $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) after owner/trainer Don Schnell said Monday afternoon that multiple stakes winner Escape Clause would run in the 1 1/16-mile race April 14.

Escape Clause has been a win machine in Canada and the Pacific and Mountain time zones, capturing 20 of 30 career starts, including the $100,000 Harry Henson Handicap March 24 at Sunland Park in which she set a track record (1:34) for a mile. Escape Clause is an 18-time stakes winner, owns track records for 6 ½ furlongs and 7 furlongs at Century Downs in Canada and finished second against males in the $75,000 Manitoba Derby in 2017 at Assiniboia Downs in Canada.

“She’s been quite a story,” said Schnell, who is based at Turf Paradise in suburban Phoenix. “She knows how to win, but we’re taking on some monsters in the Apple Blossom. But she deserves one try there.”

Schnell said Escape Clause will van to Oaklawn, “probably Sunday or Monday,” and Tyler Baze will ride the 5-year-old Canadian-bred daughter of Going Commando in the Apple Blossom. Baze, a recent addition to the Oaklawn jockey colony, has ridden Escape Clause in her last three starts, including a 5 ½-length victory in the $100,000 La Canada Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 12 at Santa Anita. Escape Clause won the Harry Henson by 7 ¼ lengths.

The Apple Blossom, among the country’s most prestigious events for older fillies and mares, closed last Thursday with 18 nominations.

Two other projected Apple Blossom starters recorded workouts Monday morning. Multiple Grade 1 winner Midnight Bisou worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, her first published breeze since winning the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 16. The Azeri is the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom. Grade 2 winner Chocolate Martini had a 5-furlong bullet work (:59.40) at Churchill Downs for trainer Tom Amoss. Chocolate Martini, in her 4-year-old debut, was a Feb. 24 allowance winner at Oaklawn.

Wonder Gadot recorded a 5-furlong bullet work (:59) last Saturday morning in preparation for the Apple Blossom. Trained by Mark Casse, Wonder Gadot beat males in the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown last year, including the $1 million Queen’s Plate June 30 at Woodbine. Wonder Gadot won a Sovereign Award as Canada’s champion 2-year-old filly and is a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly of 2018. Based at Oaklawn since early February, Wonder Gadot finished second in a March 8 allowance race, her 4-year-old debut. Wonder Gadot ran second, beaten a nose, in the $400,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) last year at Oaklawn.

Post positions for the Apple Blossom, which has a record purse this year, will be drawn April 11.

Quip Returning to Oaklawn

Grade 2 winner Quip will return to Oaklawn for the $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles April 13, trainer Rodolphe Brissett said Monday afternoon.

Quip finished second in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) last year at Oaklawn. He raced just once more in 2018, finishing eighth in the Preakness last May at Pimlico. Quip ran third in his comeback race, the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) at a mile Feb. 23 at Gulfstream Park. Quip was beaten 7 ¼ lengths after dueling through a :45 half-mile.

“We got a pretty good race off the layoff,” Brisset said. “We felt that he needed it. I think he kind of answered my question about going back to two turns or staying to one turn. It looks like the two turns is going to be more the thing to do. Just the way the race set up in Gulfstream, the :45 may have been too much for him.”

Brisset said Quip has trained “very well” since the Hal’s Hope, logging four published workouts in March at Payson Park Training Center in south Florida.

“I’m hoping that race is really going to fit him perfect,” Brisset said of the Oaklawn Handicap.

Brisset said Quip will be flown to Arkansas April 10 and Jose Ortiz will ride the Distorted Humor colt in the Oaklawn Handicap. Quip, who races for WinStar Farm LLC, China Horse Club and SF Racing LLC, won the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) before finishing second to Magnum Moon in the Arkansas Derby.

The Oaklawn Handicap closed last Thursday with 21 nominations. Post positions will be drawn April 10.

City of Light and Accelerate finished 1-2, respectively, in last year’s Oaklawn Handicap. Accelerate was named the country’s champion older male of 2018, while City of Light won the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs and concluded his racing career with a victory in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park.

The Leaders

Through last Sunday, the 39th day of the scheduled 57-day meeting, six-time defending champion Ricardo Santana Jr. held a 49-45 lead over David Cohen in the race for leading jockey. Santana also topped all riders in purse earnings ($2,618,619). Cohen ($1,626,565) ranked second in purse earnings.

Three other jockeys, Ramon Vazquez, Jon Court and Richard Eramia, have reached $1 million in purse earnings at the meet. Eramia ($1,009,950) hit seven figures last Sunday.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen led all trainers with 37 victories, nine more than Robertino Diodoro. Asmussen, who is seeking his fourth consecutive local title and 10th since 2007, was also No. 1 in purse earnings ($3,033,553). Asmussen surpassed $3 million in purse earnings last Saturday as he nears his single-season Oaklawn record ($3,448,729), set in 2016.

M and M Racing (Mike and Mickala Sisk) led all owners through last Sunday with 40 victories. Danny Caldwell, Oaklawn’s leading owner in 2014-2017, was second with 17. M and M was also No. 1 in purse earnings ($1,206,844), just $68,698 short of breaking Zayat Stables’ single-season Oaklawn record ($1,275,541), set in 2015.

M and M, which employs Diodoro and trainers Norman McKnight and Karl Broberg, began and closed March with triples. Its three winners last Sunday were Fair Shot ($6.80) in the fourth race, Kennedell ($7.20) in the sixth race and Special Relativity ($8) in the eighth race.

M and M won 21 races last year at Oaklawn to capture its first career owner’s title and ranked second in purse earnings ($671,919).

Finish Lines

Post positions were to be drawn Wednesday for Saturday’s $150,000 Carousel Stakes for older females at 6 furlongs. … Welder, third in the $150,000 Hot Springs Stakes for older sprinters March 9, was a two-length winner of the $50,000 Highland Ice Stakes Tuesday at Will Rogers Downs under David Cabrera, the jockey’s first mount since March 14. Cabrera was Oaklawn’s second-leading jockey last year and had 12 winners this year before returning to his native Mexico because of a “family issue,” his agent, Joe Santos, said. Cabrera has ridden Welder in his last six starts, with the Hot Springs the gelding’s only loss during that span. Overall, Welder has won 15 of 26 starts and earned $683,151. … Because of warmer temperatures and more daylight, training hours have been extended to 6:30 a.m.-11 a.m. (Central) Sunday-Friday. They are 6:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Saturdays. … Through Sunday, the 39th day of the scheduled 57-day meeting, 391 claims had totaled $6,469,000. … Dazzling Feb. 18 debut winner and Triple Crown nominee Intrepid Heart, a son of Tapit, is entered in a first-level allowance race at 1 1/16 miles Friday at Keeneland for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Robert and Lawana Low, who teamed to win last year’s Rebel and Arkansas Derby with Mangum Moon.