$1,250,000 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) – Saturday, April 11

Nitrogen has been pointing for the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) since November. Finally, it’s showtime.

North America’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2025, Nitrogen headlines nine entrants in the Apple Blossom Saturday at Oaklawn, a 1 1/16-mile event for older fillies and mares that is a “Win and You’re In” for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

The Apple Blossom anchors a 12-race card that begins at 12:45 p.m. CDT. Probable post time for the Apple Blossom, the 10^th race, is 5:47 p.m. The supporting feature is the $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses at 6 furlongs.

Apple Blossom entrants from the rail out: Nitrogen, Jose Ortiz to ride, 122 pounds, 9-5 on the morning line; Majestic Oops, Francisco Arrieta, 121, 9-2; Regaled, Joe Ramos, 119, 3-1; Dazzling Move, Edwin Gonzalez, 116, 15-1; Om N Joy, Kent Desormeaux, 118, 15-1; Nerazurri, Cristian Torres, 120, 6-1; Five G, John Velazquez, 119, 10-1; Claret Beret, Micah Husbands, 120, 8-1; and Blue Fire, Florent Geroux, 116, 15-1.

All Apple Blossom entrants are stakes winners, with seven scoring in graded company. Nitrogen’s biggest victory to date was the prestigious Alabama Stakes (G1) last summer at Saratoga. Dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, who conditions program favorite Nitrogen, is seeking his record-tying 11^th stakes victory at the 2025-2026 Oaklawn meeting.

“She’s doing as well as ever,” Casse said. “It looks like the rain’s going to hold off. Hope she brings her ‘A’ game. She normally does.”

The Apple Blossom returns Majestic Oops, Regaled and Nitrogen, 1-2-3, respectively, in the $400,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 7. The 1 1/16-mile Azeri, run over a sloppy, sealed surface, was the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom. Nitrogen had finished first or second in her previous 10 starts.

“It was interesting,” Casse said. “I had a conversation with Jose the other day at Keeneland. He was riding a horse for me and we talked – it was the day of the draw (April 4). I said: ‘You see we drew the 1 hole?’ He goes: ‘Yeah, OK.’ It was so funny because the first time he rode her, I told him that she may get tired. He said she didn’t take a deep breath. But he said when she got beat (in the Azeri), she was exhausted. I have to think it was probably the racetrack. She just didn’t care for it much. It was kind of heavy and she’s a big horse. Sometimes these big horses struggle with a heavier racetrack.”

Nitrogen has breezed twice since the Azeri, the first a swift half-mile move in :46.80 March 22. She also went 5 furlongs in 1:01 April 1.

“We put a serious breeze in her,” Casse said, referring to March 22. “We trained her a little harder for this race. Hopefully, that works.”

Nitrogen (second), Regaled (third) and Majestic Oops (ninth) all ran in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) last November at Del Mar. Majestic Oops has returned to win the six-furlong $150,000 American Beauty Feb. 13 and the Azeri, when she edged late-running Regaled by three-quarters of a length. Nitrogen was a length farther back in third.

“I know we’re going to run a good race,” said Dan Ward, who trains Majestic Oops. “Just need a little racing luck. She’ll run her race, for sure.”

Casse also entered Nerazurri, who is seeking her third stakes victory at the meeting and fourth victory overall. Nerazurri captured a starter allowance Dec. 20, the inaugural $135,000 Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes Jan. 1 and the $135,000 Trivista Overnight Stakes Feb. 27. She also finished second, beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Nitrogen, in the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 7. The 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa was Nitrogen’s 2026 debut.

“She’s on top of her game,” Casse said of Nerazurri. “She runs hard every time. Looks like there’s some speed in there. She’s one of them, so she’ll be up close, and we’ll see.”

Five G is a Grade 2 winner for trainer George Weaver and finished second, beaten a length, in the $500,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies last year at Oaklawn. Regaled, Dazzling Move, Om N Joy and Claret Beret are all Grade 3 winners. Louisiana-bred star Blue Fire is a multiple stakes winner for Steve Asmussen, Oaklawn’s all-time leading trainer.

Claret Beret returns to Oaklawn after winning an allowance race last season in Hot Springs for trainer Greg Compton. Claret Beret was sold privately following a fifth-place finish in an allowance race March 7, 2025, at Oaklawn and transferred to Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

Claret Beret exits a victory in the Royal Delta Stakes (G3) Feb. 14 at Gulfstream Park for Joseph, who also trains Dazzling Move. Dazzling Move won the 2025 Royal Delta.

$500,000 Count Fleet Sprint (G3) – Saturday, April 11

Roll On Big Joe bids for his fourth consecutive stakes victory in the six-furlong $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) for older horses Saturday at Oaklawn.

The Count Fleet is is part of a 12-race card that begins at 12:45 p.m. CDT. The program is highlighted by the $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares. Probable post time for the Count Fleet, the eighth race, is 4:36 p.m.

The eight-horse Count Fleet field from the rail out: Maximum Bourbon, Ramon Vazquez to ride, 116 pounds, 3-1 on the morning line; Tough Catch, Jose Ortiz, 117, 12-1; Booth, Erik Asmussen, 121, 7-2; Mad House, Paco Lopez, 118, 15-1; Roll On Big Joe, Julien Leparoux, 123, 2-1; Wendelssohn, John Velazquez, 119, 10-1; Tejano Twist, Francisco Arrieta, 122, 6-1; and Dreaminblue, Rafael Bejarano, 117, 8-1.

Program favorite Roll On Big Joe is seeking his third stakes victory this season at Oaklawn after capturing the $150,000 Ring the Bell Dec. 13 and the $150,000 King Cotton Feb. 8. Roll On Big Joe’s winning streak began in the Bet On Sunshine Stakes Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs. All three races were six furlongs.

“He’s sharp and ready and real good,” trainer Bob Hess Jr. said. “Going into the King Cotton, I was kind of nervous. He missed a bunch of training in Kentucky with the weather and he was pretty dull in the paddock. Broke kind of awkwardly. He ran well, but I think he’s much better this time.”

Based at The Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, Ky., Roll On Big Joe has five published workouts since the King Cotton. Two were half-mile bullet drills (March 18 and April 3). Hess passed the $250,000 Whitmore Stakes (G3) March 14 – Oaklawn’s final major prep for the Count Fleet – and decided to bring Roll On Big Joe up to Saturday’s race off workouts.

“I kind of felt like he won on guts and heart last time,” Hess said. “I felt like he was quiet going into the race and he was quiet for a week or two afterwards, but now he’s perked up quite a bit. You can go to his work tab and see that. He’s back to being the real Roll On Big Joe. It should be a good horse race. We’re looking forward to it. For half a million, those are never easy, but we’re definitely looking forward to running and competing. All his owners will be there. It should be a fun day.”

Roll On Big Joe came from just off the pace to win the Bet On Sunshine and King Cotton and won the Ring the Bell on the lead under Leparoux, who has ridden the 6-year-old gray Prospective gelding in his last seven starts.

“I could see him doing anything,” Hess said. “I would just tell Julien do what they don’t do. If they gift you something early, great. If they want to get silly up front early, great. He’s versatile.”

Booth won the 2025 Count Fleet to give Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his fourth consecutive victory in the race and record-extending seventh overall. Booth exits a runner-up finish in a March 1 allowance sprint that marked his 2026 debut.

“Hopefully, he can repeat last year’s Count Fleet,” Asmussen said. “Has the race in him and he’s doing well. Hopefully, it goes according to plan.”

Millionaire four-time Oaklawn stakes winner Tejano Twist ran down Booth March 1 and was an under-wraps two-length winner of the Whitmore. Tejano Twist seeks his first Count Fleet victory after finishing third in 2023, second in 2024 and fifth in 2025 for trainer Chris Hartman.

Wendelssohn, also trained by Hartman, finished third in the King Cotton and fourth in the Whitmore. Tejano Twist is a late runner, while Wendelssohn possesses speed.

“Both horses are going into the race good, so we’ve got to see what happens,” Hartman said.

Tough Catch finished second in the Whitmore for trainer Dallas Stewart. Maximum Bourbon will be making his stakes debut and first start for trainer Phil D’Amato. Maximum Bourbon exits a runner-up finish, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Built, in a March 13 allowance race at Fair Grounds. Built’s winning time of 1:07.96 for 6 furlongs was a track record. Mad House is a Grade 2 winner for trainer David VanWinkle. Dreaminblue is two-for-two at the meeting for trainer Randy Morse, including the inaugural six-furlong $135,000 Silks Overnight Stakes Dec. 19.