Apple Blossom: Hot and Sultry lone speed but faces Secret Oath and Clairiere
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Secret Oath and Clairiere face the same tall task Saturday at Oaklawn Park in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap – catch loose-on-the-lead Hot and Sultry.
The 1 1/16-mile feature shares a card with the Count Fleet as a part of the Racing Festival of the South and seems to be that easy of a read. The field of four includes a speed horse and three confirmed closers. It’s a recipe for a potential upset.
“Obviously, there’s two really nice horses in there,” said Norm Casse, who trains Hot and Sultry. “We’re not going over there thinking we’re going to win. We’re going over there thinking we’ve got a really big shot to.”
But just as pace makes the race, class can overcome and there’s a whole lot of quality in Secret Oath, the winner of last year’s Kentucky Oaks who can go over $2 million in earnings, and Clairiere, a multiple Grade 1 winner who already has earned $2.1 million.
The horses, ranked a respective second and third to Nest on Dan Illman’s latest divisional ratings for Daily Racing Form, both launched their season last month at Oaklawn in the Grade 2 Azeri. Secret Oath closed from seventh for a 2 3/4-length win over Clairiere, who trailed through six furlongs of the 1 1/16-mile race. Hot and Sultry finished fourth.
“The thing about the small field is it’s going to change the complexion of the race,” said D. Wayne Lukas, who trains Secret Oath. “For example, [Hot and Sultry] showed strong speed in the Azeri. Now, I’m sure she will take that to another level without anybody bothering her. In the Azeri, she was pressured all the way to the quarter pole. This four-horse field, she’ll have her own way for a while and that can be dangerous.
“She’ll get a base on balls – be on third base turning for home without even hitting a triple. She’s not going to steal home, though.”
Secret Oath worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 on April 7 at Oaklawn, where she has a 4-for-5 record that includes a third-place finish in last year’s Arkansas Derby. The 123-pound highweight, Secret Oath will break from the rail under Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard the Briland Farm homebred for the first time in the Azeri.
“That was a very impressive race,” Lukas said. “I watched it this morning just to pump me up a little bit. That was textbook, ridden beautifully by Tyler. He rode her once and has got a little more feel for her now. She’s flourished since then – had a good month.”
Clairiere, weighted at 122, closed from last to win the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps in 2022 at Belmont Park and used the same tactics when finishing third by a head in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
“This field for her, the Apple Blossom, is extremely concerning because of the complete, utter lack of pace in the race,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Clairiere. “It creates a scenario that definitely puts her up against it.”
Clairiere turned in a strong five-eighths work in 1:00.80 on April 2 at Oaklawn.
“Obviously, we’re extremely happy with how she’s doing,” Asmussen said. “That’s why she’s running.”
Clairiere, who races for Stonestreet Stables, is a daughter of Curlin and $2 million earner Cavorting.
“I think she’s a perfect example of what Stonestreet should be so proud of – the top class homebred,” Asmussen said. “By the best, out of the best, and one of the best.”
Joel Rosario has the mount from post 4.
Hot and Sultry, weighted at 117, will start from post 2 under David Cabrera.
“Tactically, I feel like we’ve been dealt a really good hand,” Casse said. “It seems like on paper she’s the lone speed. She ran a respectable race in the Azeri, and I feel like she’ll run a better race this time.”
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Hot and Sultry has a distance question to answer, as the Apple Blossom will be only her second start at two turns.
“I guess the jury is still out a little bit,” Casse said. “I felt she ran really well in the Azeri. She was probably five or six wide from the first turn, and still only got beat a length and a half for all of it.
“Now, second time out routing, she’s more accustomed to it. She’s trained extremely well leading into the race.”
Hot and Sultry is a half-sister to Scalding, who won the Grade 3 Ben Ali going 1 1/8 miles last year at Keeneland.
The field is completed by I Feel the Need, who closed from last for third in a $50,000 starter-allowance route March 30 at Oaklawn. Last year, she was fourth in the track’s Grade 3 Fantasy.
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