Escape Clause to test Grade 1 waters in Apple Blossom

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Escape Clause, who won the 18th stakes race of her career last month in a track-record performance, will soon get her first shot at Grade 1 glory. Trainer Don Schnell said Saturday that the 5-year-old mare is being pointed for the $750,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn.

The Apple Blossom, for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, will be run April 14. It will close out the annual Racing Festival of the South this year, with Oaklawn racing through May 4. In the past, the Arkansas Derby – which is April 13 – had closed out both the Festival and the meet at Oaklawn.

Escape Clause is coming off a 7 1/4-length win in the $100,000 Harry Henson on the Sunland Derby undercard March 24 in New Mexico. She won the two-turn mile for fillies and mares in 1:34, lowering the track record of 1:34.40.

“She did it easing up,” said Schnell, who also owns Escape Clause. “That was a pretty good race for her.”

Escape Clause earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 95. It was her second stakes win on the year, following a 5 1/2-length win in the Grade 3 La Canada at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 12 at Santa Anita. The La Canada was the first graded stakes win for Escape Clause.

“She’s getting better,” Schnell said. “She was a pretty good filly as a 2-year-old, and pretty good at 3, and maybe got better at 4, but she’s really blossomed over the last three, four months. She seems to have grown up, filled out, and learned to relax.”

Tyler Baze, who has been aboard Escape Clause for each of her stakes wins this year, will have the mount in the Apple Blossom, said Schnell. Baze is based at Oaklawn.

Turf Paradise is home for Escape Clause. Schnell said he plans to ship her to Oaklawn five or six days out from the Apple Blossom.

“I want to train her a little bit on that track,” he said.

Schnell also wants Escape Clause to arrive early in order to have plenty of recovery time from her ship from Arizona to Arkansas.

“It’s a big race and I want her to be at her absolute best,” he said.

Escape Clause is a daughter of the Unbridled’s Song stallion Going Commando. She was bred in Manitoba, Canada, by Cam Ziprick and Arnason Farms. Overall, the ultra-consistent Escape Clause has won 20 of 30 starts and earned $495,500.

Last year from June 8-Nov. 9, Escape Clause won eight straight races and was placed first in a ninth.

Oaklawn on Saturday released nominations for the Apple Blossom. Elate, a multiple Grade 1 winner who started her season last month at Oaklawn with a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 Azeri, has been nominated to both the Apple Blossom and the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race April 13.

Weights for both races are scheduled to be released Sunday.