Adare Manor, Baffert Ship In for Apple Blossom Raid

Five-time graded stakes winner Adare Manor  has lost the only two times she raced outside her Southern California base, but she still should be favored in the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 13 at Oaklawn Park.

The 5-year-old Uncle Mo   mare owned by Michael Lund Petersen is the field's high weight at 123 pounds and one of its two grade 1 winners. She also possesses sharp recent form, having finished second by three-quarters of a length behind loose-on-the-lead Sweet Azteca  in the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) March 9 at Santa Anita Park.

"She came out of her race well," trainer Bob Baffert said. "She was freshened up and had a nice start (in the Beholder Mile). Unfortunately, she got beat. We thought the timing's perfect for the Apple Blossom, so we're looking forward to it."

Video: Beholder Mile S. (G1)

Adare Manor has trainer Baffert's record at Oaklawn in her favor. From 1993 to present, his horses have run 91 times at the Hot Springs, Ark., track, resulting in 39 victories (43%). Furthermore, Baffert runners show 56 starts in graded stakes at Oaklawn, and he has won 25 (45%) of those races.

Most of the graded victories came with 3-year-old male horses on the Triple Crown trail, but Baffert did win the 2012 Apple Blossom with his 2011 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Plum Pretty .

The likely second choice Wet Paint  loves Oaklawn, where the Godolphin homebred and Brad Cox trainee is undefeated in three starts. The stretch-running now 4-year-old Blame   filly spent last winter at Oaklawn and went favored in the 2023 Kentucky Oaks on account of her open-length victories in the Martha Washington, Honeybee (G3), and Fantasy (G3) stakes.

Wet Paint could only close for fourth in the Kentucky Oaks but later won the 2023 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Wet Paint was assigned 122 pounds as she makes her first start since finishing eighth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).

Final Furlong Farm and Madaket Stable's Honor D Lady  ships up from Gulfstream Park for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.  The 4-year-old Honor Code  filly won the Remington Park Oaks (G3) last year, and she looked even better winning the Royal Delta Stakes (G3) by two lengths in her 2024 debut.

The nine-horse Apple Blossom, at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, also features the 2-3-4 finishers from the local Azeri Stakes (G2) March 9. Misty Veil , a stakes-winning 6-year-old Tonalist   mare who finished second in the Azeri, makes her third start since John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock plucked her out of the Keeneland January Sale for $210,000.

Kaleem Shah's grade 3 winner Bellamore  finished third in the Azeri for trainer Steve Asmussen. The 6-year-old Empire Maker mare is multiple grade 1-placed and finished second, beaten 4 3/4 lengths, behind Adare Manor in the 2023 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.

Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje's Shotgun Hottie , a 5-year-old Gun Runner   mare, finished fourth in the Azeri. She won the 2023 Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park.

Richard Bahde's 2023 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) winner Taxed  finished behind Wet Paint four times last year, including runner-up finishes in the Martha Washington and Fantasy. The gray 4-year-old Collected   filly, trained by Randy Morse, prepped for the Apple Blossom locally with an eye-catching 3 1/2-length allowance victory going six furlongs in 1:10.53 March 16.

Video: Oaklawn Park, Race 5, AOC