Lady Apple Churchill bound following Fantasy win

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Lady Apple emerged from her gutsy win in the Grade 3, $500,000 Fantasy on Friday at Oaklawn Park in good order and will soon ship to Churchill Downs for a possible start in the Kentucky Oaks.

“She flies Monday to Churchill, obviously to consider running her in the Oaks,” trainer Steve Asmussen said Saturday.

“We’re very proud of her run yesterday. We want to see the same amount of confidence in her for the next race, wherever it is.”

Lady Apple stalked the pace in the Fantasy, came through a seam along the rail in the final sixteenth, and battled to get past pacesetter Motion Emotion for a length win. She earned 100 points for the Kentucky Oaks and a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 85.

“She’s a sweetheart personality-wise – very much a people horse – and for her kind and somewhat soft demeanor, it’s amazing to see how gritty she runs in her races,” said Asmussen.

Lady Apple was winning her third straight race in the Fantasy, behind a maiden special weight sprint Feb. 7 and an optional $62,500 claiming route March 23 – both at Oaklawn. She is by Curlin, the two-time Horse of the Year trained by Asmussen. Lady Apple races for Phoenix Thoroughbred III and KatieRich Stables.

Motion Emotion emerged from the Fantasy in good order, trainer Tom Van Berg said Saturday. She was running second in a graded race for the second time this meet, having been the runner-up in the Grade 3, $200,000 Honeybee on March 9.

Motion Emotion has a total of 60 points for the Kentucky Oaks and sits ninth on the current leaderboard issued by Churchill Downs. She picked up 40 points for her run in the Fantasy.

“She came out of it super,” trainer Tom Van Berg said Saturday.

“We’ll give her a few days off, go back to the track, and let her tell us if she wants to go to the Oaks.”

Van Berg trains Motion Emotion for Mark DeDomenico.