Lady Apple wins the Iowa Oaks over Ulele

 

By: Paulick Report Staff

 

Phoenix Thoroughbreds and KatieRich Farms’ Lady Apple battled the length of the stretch with co-favored Ulele in Friday’s Grade 3 Iowa Oaks, just getting the better of that rival in the final sixteenth to win by a neck. The 3-year-old Curlin filly had made her most recent start in the G1 Kentucky Oaks, finishing third, and the top two finishers went off at even money at Prairie Meadows. Lady Apple was ridden by Ricardo Santana for trainer Steve Asmussen, completing 1 1/16 miles over the fast track in 1:43.33.

Bred in Kentucky by her owner, Lady Apple is out of the graded stakes-placed Clever Trick mare Miss Mary Apples. The filly was entered in the Keeneland September sale but did not meet her reserve price at $100,000. She placed second on debut and went straight to stakes company, running second in the listed Astoria Stakes at Belmont. Lady Apple finally broke her maiden in her first start as a 3-year-old, continuing on undefeated through two more starts at Oaklawn, including the G3 Fantasy Stakes. Overall, the filly’s record stands at 4-2-1 from nine starts for earnings of over $650,000.