Apple Blossom

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

For the first time in two years, 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter)
will not be in Hot Springs, Arkansas, to defend her title in the $500,000 Apple
Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park. The four-time champion was retired at the end
of last year, leaving some big shoes to fill in this 1 1/16-mile contest.
Saturday, eight fillies and mares will attempt to make a name for themselves as
the new top distaffer, and we think it will be DREAM OF SUMMER (Siberian
Summer). The Juan Garcia trainee lost the Santa Margarita H. (G1) by a head bob
last time after pressing the pace for the entire nine furlongs, eventually
settling for second by a nose. The Grade 2 winner appears to be in the best form
for this contest, getting five-eighths in 1:00 at Santa Anita on April 1. The
six-year-old gets the services of Pat Valenzuela for the Apple Blossom, and with
a lifetime record of 12-7-2-2, we find it hard to bet against the gray.

Champion three-year-old ASHADO (Saint Ballado) represents the
always-dangerous Todd Pletcher barn, and is a formidable opponent despite being
on the shelf since winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) in October. The
multiple Grade 1 winner is easily the class of the field and has been training
forwardly for her conditioner, getting five furlongs over the Keeneland strip in
1:01 3/5 most recently. The four-year-old is likely be overbet, but she will be
tough to beat as well.

Marcelo Polanco’s charge ISLAND FASHION (Petionville) took on the boys last
time in the Santa Anita H. (G1) for the second year in a row, but finished up
the track as compared to a good second last year. Against her own sex, Island
Fashion won the Lady’s Secret Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) last fall and most recently
had a good second-place finish in the Santa Monica H. (G1). In the past 10
months, the versatile five-year-old has run anywhere from seven furlongs to 1
1/4 miles, on both the grass and the dirt, and this seems like the right spot
for her. We’ll have the gray in the exotics.

STAR PARADE’s (Arg) (Parade Marshal) last eight starts have come at the Grade
1 or 2 level, and the classy dark bay merits respect off wins last year in the
Santa Maria H. (G1) and the Milady Breeders’ Cup H. (G1), both run at the Apple
Blossom distance. The six-year-old also ran third in this event last year, but
was placed second through a disqualification. She has not shown much as of
recent and we’ll have to just use her in the gimmicks until she can prove
herself a winner again.

GOOD STUDENT (Arg) (Louis Quatorze) took to the dirt two back after five
straight grass starts and finished a nose second in the Santa Maria H. (G1). The
Ronald McAnally-trained five-year-old stumbled at the break of the Santa
Margarita last time and finished a badly beaten eighth, but we’ll still use her
in the gimmicks based on her Santa Maria run.

McAnally will also saddle HOUSE OF FORTUNE (Free House) as part of an
uncoupled entry in the Apple Blossom. The four-year-old has not been the same
filly since winning the Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks (G2) last June, and we’ll
have to let her beat us. ISLAND SAND (Tabasco Cat) has not shown she can compete
at this level in 2005, finishing third last time in the Azeri Breeders’ Cup S.
(G3) and second in the Pippin S. before that. We’ll take a stand against in this
Grade 1 contest. The Neil Howard-trained SHADOW CAST (Smart Strike) has had more
success on the grass, but is still a stakes winner on the dirt as well. Still,
we’ll give her a race.