Hot and Sultry gets another two-turn test in Azeri Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – A year ago, the filly-and-mare division at Oaklawn Park was dominated by Grade 1-winning titans Clairiere and Secret Oath.

The pair has since retired and in their absence local leadership is up for grabs in the Grade 2, $400,000 Azeri on Saturday.

The 1 1/16-mile race is one of Oaklawn’s five route stakes for fillies and mares in a series that culminates with the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap on April 13.

So far, the first three races have been won by different horses, with Pippin hero Misty Veil and Grade 3 Bayakoa winner Comparative both returning in the Azeri.

They are part of a field of eight that includes significant newcomer Bellamore, three-time stakes winner Shotgun Hottie, and the talented Hot and Sultry, who last year was third in the Apple Blossom behind winner Clairiere and runner-up Secret Oath.

“There were two great mares here last year – my goodness, you were just chasing tails trying to stay with them,” said Alex Lieblong, co-owner of Hot and Sultry. “I was not sorry to see them going to another career. Those two were just unbelievable mares.”

Hot and Sultry was the odds-on favorite in the Bayakoa on Feb. 2 off an eight-length win in the Grade 3 Chilukki at Churchill Downs. She looked like the one to catch after making all the pace in the one-turn mile, but the complexion of the Bayakoa changed as soon as the starting gate opened.

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“It seemed like she broke so sharp that she lost her footing as she tried to get into stride, then she went down completely to her knees,” trainer Norm Casse said.

Casse said regular rider Ricardo Santana Jr. handled the situation well and did not rush the filly. She ended up closing from last to finish fifth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by Comparative, whose regular rider, Manny Franco, moved to seize the lead after the start en route to her third straight win.

“I thought all things considered, she still ran an okay race,” Casse said of Hot and Sultry.

Lieblong, like Santana, took the frustrating start in stride in the Bayakoa.

“I’ve seen it all – nothing shocks me,” he said. “I wish we had do-overs.”

Hot and Sultry, who is a stakes winner at six furlongs at Oaklawn, will be looking for her first win around two turns Saturday.

“This is going to be a crossroads deal for her, seeing whether we go to the Apple Blossom or go seven-eighths in the Madison at Keeneland,” Casse said. “I don’t know if this is exactly her best distance. I think this is a winnable race for her. I think she’s doing extremely well.

“This is a lightly raced filly that we still haven’t exactly figured out what she’s best at.”

Hot and Sultry will break from post 6.

“Watching her train since she came back from a layoff last year, the filly is kind, will do whatever you want to,” Casse said. “Obviously, it’s an advantage to be forwardly placed, and we certainly want to be there, but it’s not necessary.”

Shotgun Hottie also exits the Bayakoa. She pressed Comparative and finished sixth in what was her first start since her July 22 win in the Grade 3 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Park.

“She was coming off of a layoff in the last race, so she obviously got a lot of fitness from that,” trainer Cherie DeVaux said. “And she’s trained forwardly out of the last race.”

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Shotgun Hottie’s summer at Monmouth last year included a third-place finish in the Serena’s Song in May and a win in the Lady’s Secret in June. In the Molly Pitcher, she earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

“She had their series under her belt going into it and just kind of kept improving and put in a big race,” DeVaux said. “She subsequently came out of that needing some time.”

From there, DeVaux said the decision was made to target the series at Oaklawn. Shotgun Hottie will break from post 8 under Cristian Torres.

“She was close to the pace and keen [last out], but I just attribute that to the layoff,” DeVaux said. “She should be a lot more settled this time. So hopefully, she’s a couple lengths off of it.”

Bellamore could be making her bid in the later stages. She came from next-to-last to win the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic on Jan. 27 at Sam Houston. The start was her first since November. Keith Asmussen has the mount from post 2 for his father, trainer Steve Asmussen.

Saddle Up Jessie enters off a win in the Heavenly Prize at Aqueduct. Soul of an Angel was second last out in the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream, and Tiny Temper owns the field’s best last-race Beyer, a 92, for a first-level allowance win at Fair Grounds.

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