American Apple takes advantage of perfect setup at 47-1 in Matron Stakes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – American Apple, the recipient of a perfect setup and smart ride by Eric Cancel, pulled off a 47-1 upset in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Matron Stakes to potentially put her in play for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint next month at Keeneland.
Sitting third behind Fleetfooted and Sweet Harmony, American Apple came off the rail in upper stretch, went past the pacesetting Fleetfooted inside the three-sixteenths pole, and held off a late run from a four-wide rallying Redifined to win the Matron by a neck. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to favorite Danse Macabre in third.
Sent off as the third-longest price in the 11-horse field, American Apple returned $97 to win.
The win was the first in a stakes for 28-year-old trainer Daniel Leitch, who only started on his own one year ago. He has won 11 races from 52 starters.
Leitch, who has 10 horses based at Keeneland, took over the training for owner KatieRich Stables when their regular trainer, Mark Hubley, retired.
“Mark Hubley retired last year, we turned the reins over to him and had all the confidence in the world in him,” said Larry Doyle, co-owner and co-founder of KatieRich Stables.
Doyle said the primary reason he sent American Apple to New York was because there was no place else to run a 2-year-old filly who had just won her maiden at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 14.
“If I could have found an easier spot, that’s where we would have been,” Doyle said.
It turned out American Apple was in the right spot after all.
After breaking second under Cancel, American Apple settled into third as Sweet Harmony went up to challenge pacesetting longshot Fleetfooted. Those two were heads apart through a half-mile in 46.06 seconds.
Turning for home, with Sweet Harmony starting to fade, Cancel guided American Apple off the rail and she went by Fleetfooted in midstretch and was able to hold off Redifined.
:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!
“The filly broke very well from the gate and I saw that she didn’t want to be in front, so I let the other two go and covered her up,” Cancel said. “Once I had an opening at the quarter pole to go, I asked her and she did the job.”
American Apple, a daughter of American Pharoah, covered the six furlongs over turf labeled firm in 1:09.59. American Apple earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 87.
Javier Castellano, on Redifined, said he was happy with his trip and thought he was going to catch American Apple in the stretch.
“I thought I was going to go by that other horse, but she never stopped, she fought all the way to the wire,” Castellano said. “I’m going to give credit to the winner, but I was satisfied with the way my filly” ran.
Doyle said he would consider pointing American Apple to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Nov. 4 at Keeneland. If the decision is made to skip that race, American Apple could return to New York for the $120,000 Stewart Manor here Nov. 5.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.