Post positions will be drawn Monday for three April 23 stakes –the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles, and the $150,000 Oaklawn for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
The Oaklawn racing department listed four probables Saturday morning for the Apple Blossom: champion and 2020 winner Ce Ce for trainer Michael McCarthy, millionaire Grade 1 winner Clairiere (Steve Asmussen), champion and 2021 winner Letruksa (Fausto Gutierrez), and multiple stakes winner She's All Wolfe (Donnie K. Von Hemel).
Grade 1 winner and Oaklawn-based Maracuja worked a half-mile in :48.40 Friday morning for trainer Rob Atras for a possible start in the Apple Blossom.
“Still under consideration, but not definite,” Atras said in a text message Saturday morning.
The Oaklawn racing department listed eight probables Saturday morning for the Oaklawn Handicap – Beau Luminarie for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, Caddo River (Brad Cox), Idol (Richard Baltas), Last Samurai (Dallas Stewart), Plainsman (Cox), Rated R Superstar (Federico Villafranco), Super Stock (Asmussen) and Thomas Shelby (Robertino Diodoro). Proxy (Michael Stidham) also was under consideration.
Millionaire multiple Grade 3 winner Rated R Superstar completed major preparations for the Oaklawn Handicap by working 5 furlongs in 1:01.20 Friday morning under eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. David Cabrera, Oaklawn's leading rider this season, guided Rated R Superstar to victories in the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 15 and $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) March 19, but the jockey is out indefinitely after sustaining head, neck and upper back injuries in an April 8 spill. Santana will ride Rated R Superstar in the Oaklawn Handicap, the 9-year-old gelding's owner, Danny Caldwell, said in a text message Friday morning.
“That is the plan once David went down,” Caldwell said. “Would love to have David and wish him a speedy recovery. Ricardo has won on Rated R and is a very competent rider, plus he should fit Rated R's running style perfect.”
The Oaklawn racing department listed six probables Saturday morning for the Oaklawn Stakes – Home Brew (Cox), Kuchar (Brisset), Long Crow (Asmussen), Ruggs (Ron Moquett), Stellar Tap (Steve Asmussen) and The Skipper Too (John Ortiz).
The winner of the Oaklawn Stakes, if Triple Crown eligible, will receive automatic entry into the Preakness Stakes (G1).
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