The Apple Blossom Handicap is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older, run under handicap conditions over a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt track held annually in April at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The 2024 running carried a purse of $1,250,000.

History

The race over the years has become the premier event for distaffers in the Spring, however its beginnings were inconsistent and were far from what we see today.

Nonetheless, the inaugural running was on 21 March 1958, as the Apple Blossom Purse, for horses three-years-old or older over the current distance and was won by the three year old colt Count De Blanc in a time of 1:43. The event at that time was a preparatory event for the Arkansas Derby because in his next start Count De Blanc duly proceeded to win that event. The current preparatory event for the Arkansas Derby is the Rebel Stakes but that event was not first run until 1962.

The event was not held again until 1963. Oaklawn Park acknowledges in their records that the event was won by Verna Lea Farm's four year old Submerge. Outside resources indicate that the event was held on 6 March 1963 as a claiming race for horses four years old or older over a distance of six furlongs. The event again was idle until 1968 when it was held as the Apple Blossom Purse for three year olds and older. The following year in 1969 the event was held as the Apple Blossom Handicap.

In 1973 the administration of Oaklawn Park modified the conditions of the event to allow only for fillies and mares that are four years old or older to start.

In 1975 the distance of the event was increased to one mile and seventy yards. That year the Champion Susan's Girl won the event in her only visit to the track in her 63 race career. The win would bring her career winnings to close to the record $1 million which would be first for a US filly or mare.

The American Graded Stakes Committee in 1977 upgraded the event to Grade III status and in quick succession upgraded it again to Grade II the following year.

In 1980 the distance of the event was increased slightly by 40 yards to one and one-sixteenth miles. The purse for the event had risen substantially to over $200,000 by 1981 and with the best female competitors entering the event the status of the race had been set at Grade I.

The list of champions who had won the event in the 20th century was impressive, includes: Susan's Girl, Canadian champion Northernette, Track Robbery, North Sider, Argentine bred Bayakoa, Paseana from Argentina who won the event twice and was third as an eight-year-old in 1995 to the 1994 US Three-Year-Old Champion filly Heavenly Prize, Escena and Banshee Breeze.

In the 2000s Allen E. Paulson's Champion mare Azeri won the event for a record three times becoming the US Horse of the Year of 2002, and the US Champion Older Female Horse three years running: 2002, 2003, and 2004. In her honor Oaklawn Park in 2005 renamed the Oaklawn Breeders' Cup Stakes to the Azeri Stakes.

The champion mare Zenyatta won the event twice (2008, 2010) during her phenomenal nineteen race winning streak. In 2010 Oaklawn Park president Charles J. Cella was negotiating with the owners of the two top females in U.S. racing in 2009, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta to have a purse of $5 million if both horses were to start. However, the day after a loss by Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies at the Fair Grounds her connections announced that she would not run in the Apple Blossom.

The 2019 winner Midnight Bisou continued winning four more events before finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park. Nonetheless, her record during the year was strong enough to have her crowned US Champion Older Female Horse for the year.

The prize money of the event was scheduled to increase from $750,000 to $1,000,000 in 2020 but was reduced to $600,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States reducing fan attendance. In 2021, the purse was increased to $1,000,000 to attract champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver.

Records Speed record: miles – 1:40.20 Heatherten (1984) (New race and track record) 1 mile and 70 yards – 1:40.60 Summertime Promise (1976)

Margins: lengths – By Land by Sea (1988) Most wins:

3 – Azeri (2002, 2003, 2004)

Most wins by a jockey: 7 – Mike E. Smith (1994, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2019)

Most wins by a trainer: 4 – William I. Mott (1984, 1985, 1998, 2014)

Most wins by an owner: 4 – Allen E. Paulson (1998, 2002, 2003, 2004)

Winners YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainer OwnerDistanceTimePurseGrade RefApple Blossom Handicap2026Claret Beret5Micah J. HusbandsSaffie A. Joseph Jr.Miller Racing, LLC miles1:42.21$1,250,000I2025Thorpedo Anna4Brian Hernandez Jr.Kenneth G. McPeekNader Alaali, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks & Magdalena Racing miles1:44.27$1,250,000I2024Adare Manor 5Juan J, HernandezBob BaffertMichael Lund Petersen miles1:42.48$1,250,000I2023Clairiere5Joel RosarioSteven M. AsmussenStonestreet Stables miles1:43.36$1,000,000I2022Letruska6José OrtizFausto GutierrezSt George Stables miles1:42.22$980,000I2021Letruska 5Irad Ortiz Jr.Fausto GutierrezSt George Stables miles1:43.14$1,000,000I2020Ce Ce4Victor EspinozaMichael W. McCarthyBo Hirsch miles1:43.14$600,000I2019Midnight Bisou4Mike E. SmithSteven M. AsmussenBloom Racing Stable, Madaket Stables & Allen Racing miles1:43.88$750,000I2018Unbridled Mo5Ricardo Santana Jr.Todd A. PletcherRed Oak Stable miles1:43.94$700,000I2017Stellar Wind5Victor EspinozaJohn W. SadlerHronis Racing miles1:42.75$600,000I2016Forever Unbridled4John R. VelazquezDallas StewartCharles E. Fipke miles1:43.08$600,000I2015Untapable4John R. VelazquezSteven M. AsmussenWinchell Thoroughbreds miles1:42.96$600,000I2014Close Hatches4Joel RosarioWilliam I. MottJuddmonte Farms miles1:42.75$588,000I2013On Fire Baby4Joe M. JohnsonGary G. Hartlage Anita Cauley miles1:44.13$500,000I2012Plum Pretty4Rafael BejaranoBob Baffert Peachtree Stable miles1:42.64$490,000I2011Havre de Grace4J. Larry Jones Fox Hill Farms miles1:42.19$490,000I2010Zenyatta6Mike E. SmithJohn ShirreffsJerry & Ann Moss miles1:50.71$490,000I2009Seventh Street4Rajiv MaraghKiaran P. McLaughlinDarley Stable miles1:43.13$490,000I2008Zenyatta4Mike E. SmithJohn ShirreffsJerry & Ann Moss miles1:42.64$500,000I2007Ermine4Eddie CastroRonny W. Werner Oxbow Racing miles1:44.02$500,000I2006Spun Sugar4Michael J. LuzziTodd A. PletcherStronach Stables miles1:42.59$500,000I2005Dream of Summer6Pat ValenzuelaJuan J. Garcia James Weigel miles1:43.86$500,000I2004Azeri 6Mike E. SmithD. Wayne LukasAllen E. Paulson miles1:41.20$500,000I2003Azeri 5Mike E. SmithLaura de SerouxAllen E. Paulson miles1:43.00$500,000I2002Azeri 4Mike E. SmithLaura de SerouxAllen E. Paulson miles1:42.75$500,000I2001§ Gourmet Girl6Calvin H. BorelAlcides Pico PerdomoGary A. Tanaka miles1:42.15$500,000I2000Heritage of Gold5Shane SellersThomas M. Amoss Jack Garey miles1:42.22$500,000I1999Banshee Breeze4Jerry D. BaileyCarl A. NafzgerJayeff B. Stable & James B.Tafel miles1:41.64$500,000I1998Escena5Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottAllen E. Paulson miles1:40.95$500,000I1997§ Halo America7Calvin H. BorelBobby C. BarnettJohn A. Franks miles1:41.60$500,000I1996Twice the Vice5Chris McCarronRonald W. EllisMartin & Pam Wygod miles1:41.60$500,000I1995Heavenly Prize4Pat DayClaude R. McGaughey IIIOgden Phipps miles1:42.60$500,000I1994Nine Keys4Mike E. SmithAngel A. Penna Jr.Lazy F Ranch miles1:42.00$500,000I1993Paseana (ARG)6Chris McCarronRon McAnallySidney H. Craig miles1:41.80$500,000I1992Paseana (ARG)5Chris McCarronRon McAnallySidney H. Craig miles1:42.00$500,000I1991Degenerate Gal6Pat DayBurk Kessinger Jr. Ronald W. McDonald miles1:41.20$500,000II1990Gorgeous4Eddie DelahoussayeNeil D. Drysdale Robert N. Clay miles1:40.40$350,000II1989Bayakoa (ARG)5Laffit Pincay Jr.Ron McAnallyJanis & Frank Whitham miles1:41.60$250,000I1988By Land by Sea4Fernando ToroGary F. JonesGary F. Jones & Jayeff B. Stable miles1:41.20$250,000I1987§ North Sider5Angel Cordero Jr.D. Wayne LukasPaul Paternostro & D. Wayne Lukas miles1:41.20$270,500I1986Love Smitten5Chris McCarronEdwin J. GregsonGail & Del Chase miles1:40.40$270,300I1985Sefa's Beauty6Pat DayWilliam I. MottFarid Sefa miles1:42.20$269,500I1984Heatherten5Sam MapleWilliam I. MottJohn A. Franks miles1:40.20$279,000I1983Miss Huntington6Jorge VelasquezD. Wayne LukasEugene V. Klein miles1:44.80$287,700I1982Track Robbery6Eddie DelahoussayeRobert L. WheelerSumma Stable miles1:45.20$268,400I1981Bold 'n Determined4Eddie DelahoussayeNeil D. DrysdaleSaron Stable miles1:44.20$219,700II1980Billy Jane4John LivelyMitch ShirotaAlbert A. Savill miles1:43.60$177,150II1979Miss Baja4Eddie MapleJoseph B. Cantey Lockhart Spears 1:43.00$178,000II1978Northernette (CAN)4Don BrumfieldPeter M. Brant1 mile & 70 yards1:42.00$123,550II1977Hail Hilarious4Donald PierceNeil D. DrysdaleSaron Stable1 mile & 70 yards1:41.40$137,150III19764Darrel G. McHargueJack Van BergKenneth Opstein1 mile & 70 yards1:40.60$59,600 1975Susan's Girl6James D. Nichols James L. Newman Fred W. Hooper1 mile & 70 yards1:42.40$61,2001974 Big Dare 4Bobby Ussery Joseph P. Dorignac III Joseph P. Dorignac Jr. 6 furlongs1:11.80$31,750 1973 Levee Night 5 Danny Gargan Roy T. Gillem John T. Shouse 6 furlongs1:11.00$20,0001972 Plenty Old 5 Robert. L. Baird Dewey P. Smith Audley Farms6 furlongs1:09.60$20,0001971 Sir Realist 5 Harlon Dalton Olen BattlesMrs. Herman Udouj6 furlongs1:10.20$20,0001970 ♯§ Zuke's Bad Boy 4 Robert Mundorf Robert L. Irwin Marion Van Berg Stable6 furlongs1:11.00$15,0001969 Jay Roam 4Larry Snyder Robert L. Irwin Marion Van Berg Stable6 furlongs1:10.20$12,500Apple Blossom Purse1968†Roman K 4 Hector Viera Jean O. BrennanDr. Keith Knapp6 furlongs1:10.80$10,0001964–1967Race not held1963 Submerge 4 Danny Weiler Arthur W. BeuzevilleVerna Lea Farm6 furlongs1:15.20$2,4001959–1962Race not held1958 Count De Blanc 3Johnny SellersCharles C. NormanCharles W. & Jake H. Riedinger1 mile & 70 yards1:43.40$2,600

Legend:

Notes:

§ Ran as an entry

† In the 1968 running Big Tim won the race but was disqualified to second after stewards ruled she had bumped and interfered with Roman K.

♯ In the 1970 running American Victory was first past the post but was disqualified by the stewards for interference on the fourth-place finisher Roaring Thunder after his jockey Louis Cacioppo lodged a complaint against Larry Snyder. Marion Van Berg's entry of Zuke's Bad Boy and Roaring Thunder was declared the winner and Royal Cap was moved to second. American Victory was moved to fourth.

‡ Claiming event

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External links Oaklawn Park Media Guide 2020 Ten Things You Should Know About the Apple Blossom Handicap at Hello Race Fans!

References