Lady Apple edges Serengeti Empress in Houston Ladies Classic

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. long has praised Lady Apple’s competitive nature and she showed it once again Sunday when she battled along the rail to win the Grade 3, $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic by a half-length over odds-on favorite Serengeti Empress. It was another neck back in third to Street Band.

The Houston Ladies anchored a card of six stakes worth a total of $950,000 on the annual Houston Racing Festival program. It was one of two graded races on offer, with Dot Matrix accounting for the Grade 3, $200,000 John B. Connally Turf Cup.

Lady Apple ($18.40) was content to stalk the pace set by Serengeti Empress, who put up fractions of 23.40 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.31 for the half-mile and 1:12.37 for six furlongs. Lady Apple advanced along the inside on the final turn and took after Serengeti Empress in the stretch as Street Band and Mylady Curlin were charging on the outside for a four-horse dash to the wire. Lady Apple covered 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares in 1:44.19. The track was fast, upgraded from good a few races prior to the Houston Ladies Classic.

“She was in a perfect spot,” Santana said in a post-race interview simulcast by Sam Houston. “I was really comfortable in the position she was in. I was really happy how she was traveling. Turning for home, she gave me everything she had.

“Lady Apple, she’s an amazing filly. She’s a fighter filly. She gives you everything she has.”

Steve Asmussen trains Lady Apple and was quick to praise the depth of the field in the Houston Ladies Classic, which drew a trio of Grade 1 winners in Serengeti Empress, Street Band, and Out for a Spin, as well as a last-out Grade 2 winner in Mylady Curlin.

Lady Apple was winning her fourth Grade 3 race – behind the Fantasy at Oaklawn, the Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows, and the Remington Park Oaks. She was third in last year’s Kentucky Oaks.

“Lady Apple had a very nice year last year,” Asmussen said on the simulcast from Sam Houston. “I think with Curlin in the pedigree, you expect her to be a better 4-year-old.”

Asmussen told Sam Houston publicity the daughter of Curlin could see stakes action next at Oaklawn, perhaps following a similar path as Midnight Bisou, who won last year’s Houston Ladies Classic then captured the Azeri and Apple Blossom at Oaklawn. Midnight Bisou last week won the Eclipse Award for champion older female of 2019.

Lady Apple races for Phoenix Thoroughbred III and her breeder, KatieRich Farms. She earned $178,200 for her win the Houston Ladies Classic, which is the richest Thoroughbred race at Sam Houston. Lady Apple has now won 6 of 12 starts for earnings of $990,150.

Lady Apple, Serengeti Empress, and Street Band were all making their 4-year-old debuts in the Houston Ladies Classic.