Apache Princess back on short rest for California Cup Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – Apache Princess has been a busy filly at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, going undefeated in three starts from Dec. 30 to Feb. 10. Apache Princess has thrived on the activity, leaving trainer Keith Desormeaux confident she can handle a start in the $200,000 California Cup Oaks on Monday, eight days after she won the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes.

“She looks good,” Desormeaux said. “She’s not given me any indication that she can’t handle the quick turnaround.”

The Sweet Life Stakes was run at 6 1/2 furlongs on a wet-fast and sealed track, having been transferred from turf because of rain. The California Cup Oaks is restricted to 3-year-old California-bred fillies and is scheduled for a mile on turf.

The forecast is for rain on Sunday, but Desormeaux hopes the California Cup Oaks will be run on turf.

“I do think she’s a true turf horse,” he said. “In my knowledge of racing, I think a true turf horse will give you a good, solid race on dirt, but if you continuously run on dirt, they won’t be as effective.

“She’s young. Her form is not set.”

Apache Princess drew the outside post in a field of nine and is one of five stakes winners in the field. Creative Instinct, Kookie Gal, Lakerball, and Lippy have all won stakes.

KEY CONTENDERS

Apache Princess, by Unusual Heat
Last 3 Beyers: 73-75-71

◗ Owned by KMN Racing, Apache Princess began her winning streak against open company on the hillside turf course, taking a maiden special weight race on Dec. 30 and an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option on Jan. 21.

In those races and in the Sweet Life Stakes, Apache Princess closed from off the pace to take the lead in the final furlong. Kent Desormeaux, Keith’s brother, has been the only rider of Apache Princess in her six-race career.

Lakerball, by Lakerville
Last 3 Beyers: 65-78-77

◗ Lakerball won consecutive stakes last fall at a mile on turf – the Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 8 and the Pike Place Dancer Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Oct. 27 – before finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 24, her last start.

◗ Lakerball went wire to wire in the Surfer Girl and stalked a couple lengths off the pace in the Pike Place Dancer.

Kookie Gal, by Boisterous
Last 3 Beyers: 71-71-70

◗ Kookie Gal, trained by Peter Miller, would benefit if a quick pace develops from Mucho Unusual, who was second in two sprint stakes last year, and Tiz a Master, who has shown speed sprinting.

◗ Kookie Gal won the Soviet Problem Stakes at a mile at Los Alamitos last December and was second in an optional claimer against open company at a mile Jan. 11 in her 3-year-old debut.