Grade 1 winner Maracuja is scheduled to make her 4-year-old debut in Friday's featured eighth race at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., a $108,000 allowance for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.
Trained by New York-based Rob Atras, Maracuja hasn't started since finishing fourth in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles Sept. 25 at Parx. Maracuja scored her biggest career victory to date in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles July 24 at Saratoga, toppling, among others, eventual Eclipse Award winner Malathaat.
“She's doing really well down there,” Atras said Tuesday afternoon. “We had a couple of interruptions with the weather and stuff. Kind of opted to play it safe and wait until the track was dry and fast to breeze here. We're hoping to campaign her all year, so we didn't want to rush anything. But we're excited to get her started.”
Maracuja arrived New Year's Day and headlines a small string Atlas has at Oaklawn for the first time in 2021-2022. His Oaklawn division is overseen by assistant Jesse Sauder, who regularly gallops and breezes Maracuja.
Maracuja has seven published workouts since Feb. 1 in advance of her 2022 debut, which Atras said could be an audition for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) at 1 1/16 miles April 23.
Atras said in January that he was targeting a March return for Maracuja and then “hopefully” a date in the Apple Blossom.
“She did get a little bit behind, but we made up for it and then – timing is everything,” Atras said. “When we had her right, there wasn't a race for her for a few more weeks. It just is what it is. We're excited to get her started again and if everything works out well, we'll still consider the Apple Blossom. If not, she'll probably be looking for something in Kentucky or back in New York, which is the long-term goal, anyways.”
Eight-time Oaklawn riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. is named to ride Maracuja, the 2-1 program favorite in the projected six-horse field. Probable post time for the Friday's eighth race is 4:39 p.m. (Central).
Cotillion winner and Coaching Club American Oaks third Clairiere is on the grounds preparing for the Apple Blossom for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Champion and 2020 Apple Blossom winner Ce Ce remains under consideration for the Apple Blossom, trainer Michael McCarthy said Wednesday afternoon. The Southern California-based Ce Ce won the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 12. The Azeri was the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom.
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