Entries, Previews, Post Times for Saturday's Stakes

A handful of tracks continue to navigate the coronavirus pandemic by holding cards without spectators and only allowing essential personnel on the grounds, including Oaklawn Park, which hosts the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) and Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) April 18.

TVG will partner with NBC Sports to bring live horse racing into the homes of fans across the country for the fourth consecutive weekend with twelve hours of coverage from April 17 through April 19 from 4-8 p.m. ET.

In addition to Oaklawn Park, TVG will also be showing racing from tracks throughout the country including Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. It was announced April 15 that NBCSN and TVG will continue to partner each weekend through at least May 31.

Live racing coverage will also be featured on “America’s Day at the Races”, the New York Racing Association-produced show which will air on FS1 from 1:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET Saturday. On April 19, the show will air on FS2 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET and then on FS1 from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. “America’s Day at the Races” is presented by Runhappy, Claiborne Farm and America's Best Racing.

Here is a snapshot of the Saturday action, provided by NTRA and BloodHorse. Race previews can be accessed by clicking on the race links.

5:14 p.m.—$350,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park on NBCSN

Grade 1-winner Whitmore will put his home-track advantage to the test this Saturday as he faces a top-level field in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap going six furlongs. Trained by Ron Moquett, Whitmore has been the king of Oaklawn with eight of his 13 career victories coming over the oval including his most recent score in the March 7 Hot Springs Stakes. The 7-year-old Pleasantly Perfect gelding was second behind eventual champion Mitole  in last year’s Count Fleet Sprint and prevailed in the race in both 2017 and 2018. Among those set to challenge Whitmore in the Count Fleet are fellow Grade 1-winner Hog Creek Hustle, Grade 2-winner Flagstaff, and Hidden Scroll.

Entries: Count Fleet Sprint H. (G3)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, April 18, 2020, Race 8

• Grade III
• 6f
• Dirt
• $350,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:14 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Lexitonian (KY)	Adam Beschizza	116	Jack Sisterson	30/1
2	2Flagstaff (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	John W. Sadler	7/2
3	3Hog Creek Hustle (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	119	Gregory D. Foley	15/1
4	4Bobby's Wicked One (KY)	Miguel Mena	120	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	3/1
5	5Wendell Fong (KY)	David Cohen	115	Jeremiah C. Englehart	30/1
6	6Mr. Jagermeister (MN)	Terry J. Thompson	117	Valorie Lund	15/1
7	7Hidden Scroll (KY)	Martin Garcia	117	William I. Mott	4/1
8	8Manny Wah (KY)	Channing Hill	115	Wayne M. Catalano	30/1
9	9Whitmore (KY)	Joseph Talamo	121	Ron Moquett	5/2
10	10Share the Upside (ON)	Florent Geroux	117	Steven M. Asmussen	10/1
11	11Nitrous (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Steven M. Asmussen	20/1

6:16 p.m.—$600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park on NBCSN

A Breeders’ Cup-quality field of 14 distaffers have assembled for the 1 1/8-miles Apple Blossom, headed by last year’s Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress. Serengeti Empress got herself back in the win column in a big way last time out with a gate-to-wire victory in the Azeri Stakes (G2) March 14. The 4-year-old Tom Amoss-trained filly will have her hands full trying to duplicate that effort as she faces the likes of grade 1-winner Come Dancing, who will be making her first start since running sixth in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, along with fellow top-level performers Ce Ce, Ollie's Candy, and Street Band.

Entries: Apple Blossom H. (G1)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, April 18, 2020, Race 10

• Grade I
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $600,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:16 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Ollie's Candy (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	John W. Sadler	12/1
2	2Coldwater (KY)	Walter De La Cruz	112	Peter Eurton	50/1
3	3Awe Emma (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	115	Dallas Stewart	20/1
4	4Come Dancing (KY)	Florent Geroux	120	D. Wayne Lukas	3/1
5	5Point of Honor (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	119	George Weaver	10/1
6	6Street Band (KY)	Sophie Doyle	119	J. Larry Jones	15/1
7	7Queen Nekia (FL)	David Cohen	115	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	20/1
8	8Saracosa (KY)	Martin Garcia	114	Cipriano Contreras	30/1
9	9Horologist (NJ)	Tyler Baze	116	Richard Baltas	15/1
10	10Cookie Dough (FL)	Abel Cedillo	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	10/1
11	11Serengeti Empress (KY)	Joseph Talamo	122	Thomas M. Amoss	4/1
12	12Go Google Yourself (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	120	Paul J. McGee	12/1
13	13Lady Apple (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	119	Steven M. Asmussen	15/1
14	14Ce Ce (KY)	Victor Espinoza	121	Michael W. McCarthy	7/2