Houston Ladies Classic top three may meet again at Oaklawn

It appears Lady Apple, Serengeti Empress, and Street Band are headed for a showdown in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park.

The fillies put on a horse race Sunday at Sam Houston Race Park, where Lady Apple fought up the rail to win the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic by a half-length over favorite Serengeti Empress. It was another neck back in third to Street Band.

Lady Apple earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 95. The win was her fourth Grade 3 victory and her first race against older rivals. Trainer Steve Asmussen said Tuesday he was very happy for Lady Apple.

“[When] a filly that runs as hard as she does and is as consistent as she is gets the opportunity and actually raises their game to a new level, it’s one of the greatest feelings as a trainer,” Asmussen said. “She beat two Grade 1 winners in her first start of the year.”

Serengeti Empress captured last year’s Kentucky Oaks and was coming off a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Street Band won last year’s Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx.

Lady Apple on Tuesday remained at Sam Houston, where Asmussen has a division. The meet runs through March.

“I’m expecting her to race next at Oaklawn,” said Asmussen, who trains Lady Apple for Phoenix Thoroughbreds III and her breeder, KatieRich Farms. “She’s 3 for 3 at Oaklawn. It’s the next obvious direction to go with her.”

Asmussen said Lady Apple would be nominated to the Grade 3, $200,000 Bayakoa on Feb. 17 at Oaklawn, but could end up following the same schedule of Oaklawn races as Midnight Bisou did last year. Midnight Bisou won the Azeri and Apple Blossom at Oaklawn following her victory in the 2019 Houston Ladies Classic.

The Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri is March 14. The Apple Blossom is April 18.

Lady Apple won her maiden, a first-level allowance, and the Grade 3 Fantasy last year at Oaklawn.

Serengeti Empress is back at her base of Fair Grounds and has a main spring goal of the Apple Blossom, trainer Tom Amoss said Tuesday. Serengeti Empress set the pace in the Houston Ladies Classic and fought on to the wire, earning a Beyer of 94.

“I thought she ran really well,” Amoss said. “ I was proud of her. We lost to a very good mare in Lady Apple and it was just our first race off the bench. We’ve got a whole season ahead of us. We’ll use that as a building block.”

Serengeti Empress, who earned more than $1 million in 2019, races for Joel Politi.

Street Band went wide into the first turn, advanced four wide on the second turn, and came rolling through the stretch in the Houston Ladies Classic. She was beaten three-quarters of a length.

“She ran well,” said trainer Larry Jones, who noted the wide trip from post 6. “Everything’s good. She came back real well. She’s now at Oaklawn.”

Jones said he will look at the Azeri with Street Band. He said the major spring objective for the filly remains the Apple Blossom. Jones owns Street Band with Ray Francis, Cindy Jones, Medallion Racing, and MyRacehorse Stable.