Kentucky-bred Adare Manor utilized her speed to dominate foes in the $1.25 million Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, April 13.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Adare Manor proved uncatchable in the front-running score. She covered 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:42.48, the fastest time at the distance for the meet, and won Oaklawn’s signature two-turn race for older fillies and mares by 5 ½ lengths. In her previous outing, Adare Manor finished second in the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita in her first start of the season.
“They had a lot of confidence in her,” said winning rider Juan Hernandez. “I just felt it right away when I jumped on her. She was so calm, and she was ready to run great. She’s really a big filly, so she needs a lot of distance in her races.”
California Invader Ships and Wins
The victory marked the first win outside of California for Adare Manor. The 5-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo races for Michael Lund Petersen and she is trained by Bob Baffert. Adare Manor was a $375,000 graduate of the OBS June Sale. She now boasts eight wins from 16 lifetime starts with earnings of $1.736,600. In addition to the Apple Blossom win, Adare Manor won five consecutive races last year, including the Clement Hirsch S. (G1) at Del Mar.
“I just love the way she’s been training this year,” said Baffert. “A little freshening helped her. And when they run like that, it just makes you feel so much (better), especially her. She’s a real favorite around the barn. She is a sweetheart.”
Bred in Kentucky by Town and Country Horse Farms and Gary Broad, Adare Manor is produced from the Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway, a stakes winner of $724,597 during her racing career. Numbered among her six career victories was a win in the 2016 Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) at Keeneland.