RECAP: Apple Blossom CASHES
- Updated: April 20, 2020
Photo by: Coady
Apple Blossom (G1)
The top four ranked Super Screener horses in this race ended up filling all four slots of the Superfecta.
Serengeti Empress was the race favorite, but the Super Screener had this one ranked 6th and she actually finished near the back of the field at 5-2 odds after challenging for the lead mid-race but found the pace and pressure to be too much. She never secured the lone lead which is what she needs to win.
The Super Screener two “A” horses both ran terrific races. #1 Ollie’s Candy did all the work up front and just got nipped at the wire by pace and trip-advantaged #14 CeCe. #5 Point of Honor, the other “A” horse, was dead last in the 14-horse field and continued to dwell in that position for nearly 6 furlongs… but then went 6-wide and was running fastest of all down the stretch to pass Street Band for 3rd.
Here’s what the Super Screener had to say about the top 4 finishers:
#14 Ce Ce – PRESSER – Ran a huge race last out tracking white hot fractions and then drawing away while the entire field was tiring late. This was a strong move forward 2nd off the 8-month layoff and projects to advance smartly again here. Tough far outside draw will hamper win chances but this filly should not be ignored. Submitted another strong penultimate work. Presses/pounces.
#1 Ollie’s Candy – TOP VALUE/OFF PACE – After a 4+ month layoff, made her 2020 debut in the G1 Beholder Mile finishing 3rd behind run away winner #14 Ce Ce. Form cycle analysis indicates a major move forward here with those long and very strong works adding more confidence. Sits off the swift and pressured pace but in contention throughout. Commences a strong late bid right to the wire.
#5 Point of Honor – TOP BOARD HITTER/DEEP CLOSER – Will be doing all her running late as she passes a lot of tiring horses. Really needed that last effort off the 7-month layoff. Has been compromised in every one of her 7 lifetime starts by slow pace set ups which prevented more wins but that crazy good turn of foot enabled regular bottom-of- Exacta finishes. Picks up Van Dyke. Huge shot!
#6 Street Band – TOP VALUE/OFF PACE – Rarely throws off a complete clunker and improved as the year went on last year. Was dull on that sloppy sealed surface last out in the G2 Azeri but you can put a line through that effort. Gets back to those best prior efforts here. Does lay out energy in a very balanced way which will be needed here. Is 6 for 8 in the Trifecta at this distance.
Suggested Super Screener wagers combined to return $436.
Count Fleet (G3)
No surprises here as Whitmore won the G3 Count Fleet for a record-breaking 3rd time. He took advantage of the highly pressured pace sitting the perfect trip off the wall of speed. None of those that were forwardly placed in the early going stuck around to hit the Superfecta.
The Super Screener Top Win pick and lone “A” horse Flagstaff stutter stepped leaving the gate and spotted his rivals several lengths while sitting in last. He was then taken widest of all into the turn and was flying late passing Whitmore after the wire. That troubled trip should be duly noted.
The suggested Exacta with Whitmore on top paid $134.
Oaklawn 9th
Well, Break Even answered the question posed by the Super Screener:
Will she return to her summer form and simply needed that last race off the 6-month layoff, or was that (last out) drubbing indicative of a nagging problem?
She leveraged that quick early foot to seize the lead from the start and maintained a clear lead while setting hot fractions, yet this became a “merry-go-round” race from the half pole to the wire as the order of the first four finishers did not change.
So, we got the hot pace right but pressure was clearly lacking with good distance between the top 3 horses in the early going.
Fully expected our Top Long Shot pick, Spring in the Wind, would be pace advantaged but after breaking slow she only was able to muster a brief rally before flattening, finishing best of the long shot bombers in mid pack.
Washout at Gulfstream Park
Of course, the skies had to open up in Hallandale, Florida just before the 7th race at Gulfstream Park, and turf races thereafter were moved to the sloppy/sealed surface so all bets were off. It’s always tough to put all that time into races to then see them get washed out, isn’t it?
We know we’ll have Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park to count on next weekend… however, will Santa Anita be opening up as well? If not this weekend, then probably some time in May… stay tuned.
Until this coming weekend, Go Fast, Stay Healthy and Win!
Mike
