Oaklawn Park notes: Apropos shoots for Madison

Apropos, who is 3 for 3 at Oaklawn after winning the first stakes race of her career in the $100,000 American Beauty here Jan. 25, will make her next start in the Grade 1, $300,000 Madison at Keeneland, said her trainer, Al Stall Jr. The race is April 12.

“She ran once on Polytrack and ran a really nice race,” Stall said of the synthetic track at Keeneland.

Apropos shipped in from Fair Grounds for a Jan. 12 optional claimer at Oaklawn and won with one of her best career Beyer Speed Figures, a 98. She remained in town for the American Beauty, and darted to a 3 1/4-length win to notch her first stakes.

“She deserved to be a stakes winner,” said Stall. “I’m very happy for Apropos.”

Apropos is a 5-year-old by First Samurai who had fired some big races in her career, including a 10 1/4-length allowance win at Oaklawn last year for which she earned a Beyer of 101. She races for her breeders, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider.

Stall said Apropos has returned to Fair Grounds, and in about 60 days will head to Keeneland.

Impressive winner eyes Rebel

Street Strategy, a 6 1/2-length maiden special weight winner Thursday at Oaklawn, is now a candidate for the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel for 3-year-olds March 15, said his trainer, Randy Morse. Street Strategy defeated older rivals in the one-mile race in which he was always prominent under jockey Calvin Borel.

“We’ve been pretty high on him all along and it looks like he might be the kind we’ve been looking for,” said Morse, who trains Street Strategy for Dave Clark of Little Rock, Ark.

Street Strategy is a son of Street Sense who was a $425,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in training at the 2013 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring sale.

Walker debuts Sunday

Erin Walker, a 28-year-old from Virginia, will make her race-riding debut in Sunday’s fourth, aboard the Morse-trained Pylorus. Walker is represented by Steve Elzey, who said she has an extensive background in show jumping. “She’s an accomplished rider,” he said, noting that on the track she’s gotten on horses for such trainers as Steve Asmussen, Mark Casse, and Phil Sims.