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Eclipse Champions Clash in Apple Blossom

After the focus on points races for Derby and Oaks contenders taking up headlines over recent weekends, the distaff division gets a match up worthy of the front page as 2021 Eclipse champions Letruska (Super Saver) and Ce Ce (Elusive Quality) meet for the first time in Oaklawn's GI Apple Blossom H.

Both are previous winners of the Hot Springs signature race, as the Fausto Gutierrez-trained Letruksa won the Apple Blossom in 2021 and the Mike McCarthy-conditioned Ce Ce took the 2020 edition. The two have otherwise taken divergent paths, so much so that in spite of twice running on the same card last year, they were in different divisions: on Nov. 6 at Del Mar for the Breeders' Cup, Letruska ran in the GI Distaff and Ce Ce won the GI Filly & Mare Sprint, while on Aug. 28 at Saratoga, Letruska won the GI Personal Ensign and Ce Ce finished third in the GI Ballerina.

In addition to both being previous Apple Blossom winners, both 6-year-old homebred mares were named champions for their outstanding seasons last year. Letruska's 2021 campaign included six graded wins, four of which were Grade Is as she dominated the division for the Older Dirt Female title, and Ce Ce won three graded races, culminating in a powerful Breeders' Cup win that propelled her to Champion Female Sprinter. Both mares have won their most recent starts as Letruska took Gulfstream's Feb. 26 GIII Royal Delta S. and Ce Ce won Oaklawn's Mar. 12 GII Azeri S.

Based on her dominance last year in the division, her proven prowess at two turns, and her devastating speed, Letruska will be the favorite. However, Ce Ce has proven time and time again that she can't be counted out with her tracking and pouncing style. She will also carry an impost three pounds under Letruska's. The latter's connections are looking long term with an end goal of rectifying her Breeders' Cup loss last year.

“The idea is to go back to the Breeders' Cup, especially now that it's on this side the country,” said Gutierrez Thursday. “We have more chances to check what mistakes we had last year and make much better decisions this year. The idea is to run here in the Apple Blossom and maybe three or four more races and try to win the Breeders' Cup. But we need to go step-by-step and now the most important race is the Apple Blossom.”

To add another splash of intrigue to the Apple Blossom field beyond the top two are a pair of Grade I-winning 4-year-olds, who have both signaled they are poised for big 2022 campaigns. Steve Asmussen's Clairiere (Curlin), winner of the 2021 GI Cotillion S. and a constant factor on the board in last year's 3-year-old division, shook off winter rust by tuning up for the Apple Blossom with a huge 6 1/2-length optional allowance score at Fair Grounds Mar. 16. Maracuja (Honor Code), victress of Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks for trainer Rob Atras, wore down the frontrunner in the stretch of her 2022 debut, an optional allowance over this track and trip Apr. 1.

The short field also has a deserving longshot in Jerry Hollendorfer's Miss Imperial (Maclean's Music), who is a multiple black-type winner at Assiniboia Downs. The former claimer has notched 14 career wins, which is difficult at any level, but she's never run against this type, nor in a graded event. However, her best races have come on the lead and she gets nine pounds from Letruska, so she could very easily change the complexion of the race if she and the champ get into a punishing speed duel.

If either Letruska or Ce Ce prevail, the winner will be just the fourth mare to win the Apple Blossom more than once, joining Paseana (Arg) (Ahmad {Arg}), Azeri (Jade Hunter), and Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}). All three of those mares are in the Hall of Fame.

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Champion Jackie’s Warrior Returns a Winner in the Count Fleet

Champion Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) returned as good ever, taking the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. in gate-to-wire fashion Saturday at Oaklawn. Receiving first-time Lasix for this seasonal bow, the 1-2 chalk took up his preferred position at the head of affairs, zipping out to a clear lead. He was quickly joined by 28-1 shot Empire of Gold (Goldencents), who pressed the Eclipse winner through a sharp first quarter in :21.61. Jackie's Warrior tugged a bit clear of the longshot through a :44.51 half-mile and turned for home in front. The bay was still on cruise control in early stretch, but the field closed in entering the final sixteenth and Joel Rosario shook the reins at Jackie's Warrior. He showed his typical guts and grit, forging clear for a one-length success over a late-flying Letsgetlucky (Munnings).

“Joel [Rosario] let's him do what he wants to do, but he's responded to Joel,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I think that he needed the race and that is apparent. But what a great starting point for a champion.”

Asmussen indicated Jackie's Warrior will make his next start in the GI Churchill Downs S. May 7.

Capturing the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill May 1 after a failed attempt at two turns in the GIII Southwest S., Jackie's Warrior did all the dirty work in the GI Woody Stephens S. in June, but was overtaken late by Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music), finishing a neck second. A dominant winner of the GII Amsterdam S. next out at Saratoga Aug. 1, the $95,000 KEESEP buy battled next-out GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life is Good (Into Mischief) stride-for-stride down the Saratoga stretch in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. Aug. 28, gamely fending off that foe by a neck in what was arguably the most exciting race of the year. The easiest of winners in the GII Gallant Bob S. at Parx Sept. 25, Jackie's Warrior was favored to take the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6 and led through the first half-mile, but eventually faded to sixth.

Pedigree Notes:

Much has been written of Hill 'n' Dale's stallion Maclean's Music, from his sole brilliant race start that earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure to his equally quick start at stud with a first-crop Classic winner in GI Preakness S. hero Cloud Computing. But unlike his “one and done” race career, Maclean's Music has continued to churn out the stakes winners, with 25 black-type winners–six graded–to date. In addition to Cloud Computing, Maclean's Music's sons Drain the Clock, Complexity, and Jackie's Warrior are all Grade I winners, with the Count Fleet winner the most productive of the bunch as a three-time GISW and last year's champion male sprinter.

Much has also been written about Jackie's Warrior's dam, Unicorn Girl, from the detailing of her career with Carlo Vaccarezza to what led to her sale at Keeneland November in 2020 for $850,000 to Arthur Hoyeau. The mare has a 2-year-old colt by American Pharoah, who brought $600,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale from M.V. Magnier, and a Mar. 18 filly by Into Mischief. Unicorn Girl traces directly to the 1869 blue hen Devotion (GB) (Stockwell {GB}), whose descendants included U.S. Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox and English Triple Crown winner Rock Sand (GB), as well as Classic winners in France and Germany.

Unicorn Girl's sire, the MGSP A. P. Five Hundred, has spent most of his stud career in Chile, but produced a single U.S. crop in 2005, of which Unicorn Girl was a member. Jackie's Warrior is the sole U.S.-bred stakes winner out of his daughters.

Saturday, Oaklawn
COUNT FLEET SPRINT H.-GIII, $500,000, Oaklawn, 4-16, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:09.09, sy.
1–JACKIE'S WARRIOR, 123, c, 4, by Maclean's Music
                1st Dam: Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred
                2nd Dam: Horah for Bailey, by Doneraile Court
                3rd Dam: Horah for the Lady, by Rahy
($95,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Robison, J. Kirk and Robison, Judy;
B-J & J Stables (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Joel Rosario.
$300,000. Lifetime Record: 13-9-1-1, $1,853,964. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Letsgetlucky, 117, g, 4, Munnings–My Cinsation, by Cindago.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Brown, Edward Rusty J., Klein,
Alan P. and Lebherz, Philip; B-Premier Thoroughbreds LLC (CA);
T-Brian J. Koriner. $100,000.
3–Chipofftheoldblock, 117, g, 5, Ready's Image–Mizzen My
Momma, by Mizzen Mast. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Penny
Lauer; B-Penny S Lauer & Michael E. Lauer (IN); T-Michael E.
Lauer. $50,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1, 1HF. Odds: 0.50, 18.30, 36.10.
Also Ran: Bob's Edge, Empire of Gold, Mojo Man.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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‘Jackie’ Back in Count Fleet

Kirk and Judy Robison's Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) will make his 4-year-old debut and first start since being named 2021's champion male sprinter at the Eclipse Awards as the highweight in Saturday's GIII Count Fleet H. at Oaklawn.

Starting his career perfect in four starts, including convincing wins in the GI Runhappy Hopeful S. and GI Champagne S., the $95,000 Keeneland September buy suffered his first two losses in his only two-turn attempts to date, running fourth at 9-10 in the GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile and third in last February's local GIII Southwest S. The Steve Asmussen trainee has been kept around one turn since then, going four-for-six the rest of 2021, rattling off consecutive dazzling scores in the GII Amsterdam S., GI Woody Stephens S. and GII Gallant Bob S. That was enough to make him the biggest favorite of Breeders' Cup weekend at 1-2 in the Qatar Racing Sprint, but the bay was burned up on a quick pace and weakened in the final furlong to finish a disappointing sixth.

Jackie's Warrior returns with a sharp-looking worktab at Fair Ground and over this track, most notably going a bullet five furlongs from the gate at Oaklawn in :59 2/5 (1/45) Apr. 3.

The champ will likely have his hands full with an emerging Hot Springs talent, however, particularly if the fractions are swift. Michael and Patricia Feeney and Jennifer Grayson Taylor's Bob's Edge (Competitive Edge) won four of his first 11 starts from ages two to three, but failed to threaten in three stakes tries before having the proverbial lightbulb go on this winter. Debuting as a 4-year-old in the King Cotton S. here Jan. 29, the gelding blew to the front all the way from seventh just inside the quarter pole and kicked clear to a 2 3/4-length success, earning a career-best 97 Beyer. The Larry Jones pupil showed that was no fluke when passing every rival to repeat in the GIII Whitmore S. Mar. 19.

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Oaklawn to Honor Hall of Famers

Oaklawn will host its first even Hall of Fame Day Apr. 16. The day, honoring members of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, will be highlighted by several special events, including winner's circle presentations. The feature race will be the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. Race fans will receive a commemorative poster while supplies last, and an autograph session with Hall of Fame members will take place on the north end of the Grandstand from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“There are only a few other racing towns that can garner the enthusiasm and love for racing as Hot Springs, Arkansas, and we know this event will be a huge hit among our fans,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “We are excited by the response we have received from the Hall of Fame members in the first year of this event, and we look forward to honoring some of our industry's greats.”

Scheduled to appear are 11-time Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen, Bill Boland, Calvin Borel, Ramon Dominguez, Earlie Fires, Sandy Hawley, Chris McCarron, Bill Mott, Don Pierce, Laffit Pincay Jr., Edgar Prado, Jose Santos, Gary Stevens and Nick Zito.

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