Lady Apple confidently ridden to Fantasy score

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Lady Apple and her rider, Ricardo Santana Jr., showed what they’re made of on Friday, when the pair went through a seam coming to the sixteenth pole to get past pacesetter Motion Emotion and win the Grade 3, $500,000 Fantasy at Oaklawn Park.

With the victory, Lady Apple picked up 100 points for the Kentucky Oaks. Motion Emotion, who finished a length back in second, earned 40 points. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Brill in third, who earned 20 points, while fourth-place finisher Orra Moor earned 10.

The Fantasy opened the $3.6 million Racing Festival of the South, a series of six major stakes being run through Sunday. The Arkansas Derby, which is the centerpiece, is Saturday.

Oaklawn drew an estimated ontrack crowd of 17,000 on Friday. The sun was out, temperatures were in the 60s, and patrons took to the infield to enjoy the 10-race card.

Lady Apple ($21.60) has come to hand over the course of the meet at Oaklawn. The filly, who ran second in last year’s Astoria at Belmont Park, won a maiden special weight sprint Feb. 7. She then moved to two turns for the first time in an optional $62,500 claiming race and darted to a two-length win March 23.

In the Fantasy, Lady Apple was content to sit in a stalking spot along the rail in the 1 1/16-mile race as Motion Emotion set fractions of 23.16 seconds for the opening quarter, 46.76 for the half-mile, and 1:11.08 for six furlongs. Lady Apple moved to the fore in the final sixteenth and covered the distance on a track rated fast in 1:43.88.

“Turning for home I said, ‘I’ve got no place to go out, so I have to pass through on the rail,’” Santana told Oaklawn television host Nancy Holthus. "My filly, I’m blessed, she was not scared when I tried to pass, and she did, and she kept fighting.”

Santana was aboard for Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen.

“I thought Ricardo gave her a beautiful trip,” Asmussen said. “He showed a ton of confidence in her, and I can't say enough about the heart that the filly showed to run up inside of some very quality fillies.”

Asmussen said Lady Apple will now head to Kentucky.

“She flies to Churchill Downs on Monday to consider running her in the Oaks,” he said following the race Friday.

Lady Apple earned $300,000 for the win for Phoenix Thoroughbred III and KatieRich Stables. The daughter of Curlin has now won three of seven starts and earned $452,200.

Asmussen was winning the Fantasy for the third time. His prior winners were Terra Promessa in 2016 and Ever So Clever in 2017.