Azeri Stakes Stacked with Top-Level Female Talent

A veritable "Who's Who" of racing's top older fillies and mares has converged upon Oaklawn Park, each vying for their next big score in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 16 over 1 1/16 miles. 

Sitting at the top of the list is Bloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables, and Allen Racing's Midnight Bisou, who will enter the race fresh from her win in the Jan. 27 Houston Ladies Classic Stakes (G3) at Sam Houston Race Park. The 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute  had five graded scores in 2018, including two grade 1 wins in the Santa Anita Oaks and Cotillion Stakes. 

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bisou has won or placed in all of her 12 starts and banked more than $1.7 million in earnings. The highweight in the Azeri, she will break from post 2 and partner with Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who was aboard for her season debut. 

Making her 5-year-old debut in the Azeri is Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider's homebred mare Elate. With only two starts in 2018, the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  still managed to score big in the Delaware Handicap (G2) before being edged by champion Abel Tasman by a neck in the Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Elate was taken out of contention for the 2018 Breeders' Cup because of a splint bone issue. 

The Bill Mott trainee will break from post 5 under Jose Ortiz. 

Conrad Farms' champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose will make her second start of the season after finishing fourth in the Jan. 26 Fasig-Tipton Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The Pennsylvania-bred filly dominated in 2018, racking up four consecutive wins in the Malvern Rose Stakes, La Lorgnette Stakes, Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2), and Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)—the longest  win streak of her career. 

The Azeri will be the first start at Oaklawn for the Mark Casse-trained Shamrock Rose, who will break from the outside post under jockey David Cohen.

Rounding out the grade 1 winners in Saturday's field is Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck), Harold Lerner, Nehoc Stables, and Magdalena Racing's Eskimo Kisses. The victress of last year's Aug. 18 Alabama Stakes (G1) has not raced since Oct. 7, when she finished off the board in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. 

The daughter of To Honor and Serve turned in one consistent performance after another during her sophomore season, earning runner-up honors in the Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1). 

Rounding out the six-horse field is Beau Ravine's 5-year-old Tapa Tapa Tapa, who will have the rail trip under Antonio Gallardo. The Tapit  mare closed 2018 with a third in the Rampart Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream and returned to the track a month later to win the Wayward Lass Stakes Jan. 19 at Tampa Bay Downs. 

Also entered is Makbrook Capital and Jerome and Kristina Russell's Summer's Indy, who will be stepping up to graded company for the first time. The 4-year-old Take Charge Indy filly finished second and third, respectively, in two optional-claiming allowance races at Oaklawn in February for trainer Karl Broberg. David Cabrera will have the call in the Azeri. 

Entries: Azeri S. (G2)

Oaklawn Park, Saturday, March 16, 2019, Race 7

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $350,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:21 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Tapa Tapa Tapa (KY)	Antonio A. Gallardo	115	Timothy E. Hamm	10/1
2	2Midnight Bisou (KY)	Mike E. Smith	119	Steven M. Asmussen	6/5
3	3Summer's Indy (KY)	David Cabrera	115	Karl Broberg	30/1
4	4Eskimo Kisses (KY)	Alex L. Canchari	117	Kenneth G. McPeek	5/1
5	5Elate (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	117	William I. Mott	8/5
6	6Shamrock Rose (PA)	David Cohen	117	Mark E. Casse	6/1