Reigning champions Letruska, Ce Ce meet in the Apple Blossom

It is not often racing fans are treated to a head-to-head battle between two reigning champions, but that awaits on Saturday when Letruska and Ce Ce meet in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

Letruska took home last year's Eclipse Award as champion older female when compiling a sparkling record of 8: 6-1-0 with four Grade 1 wins, including the Apple Blossom by a nose over Monomoy Girl, a two-time champion in her own  right. Meanwhile, Ce Ce – who won the 2020 Apple Blossom – was cut back to shorter distances in her last campaign and responded to be champion female sprinter for owner-breeder Bo Hirsch.

At approximately 3:18 p.m. EDT Saturday, those two champions will lead a short but distinguished group postward for the 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom. Set to pounce in the five-horse field if either champion stumbles are Grade 1 winners Clairiere, herself a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly in 2021, and Maracuja for trainer Rob Atras. Long shot Miss Imperial for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer completes the lineup

“There are obviously some quality fillies in there,” Ce Ce’s trainer Michael McCarthy told Horse Racing Nation on Wednesday. “Maracuja had a big day up at Saratoga (winning last year's Coaching Club American Oaks, G1). Clairiere has been impressive with what she’s done. Obviously, Letruska was a super mare last year.”

Ce Ce will test last year's "super mare" with regular rider Victor Espinoza in the irons, while Letruska will be ridden by familiar partner Jose Ortiz for trainer Fausto Gutierrez. With such a short field signed up for the Apple Blossom, proceedings could become a “jockey’s race,” with added tactical nuance.

McCarthy, whose star filly excels tracking an honest pace, acknowledged that could play a role on Saturday.

“Things tend to get muddled up a bit in a short field,” McCarthy noted. “But I have a lot of faith in Victor. Hopefully, everybody has a clean break and gets the position they want turning for the backside. Then let them duke it out on their own.”

Added Gutierrez: “I think it’s no secret that Clairiere and Maracuja like to come from behind and Ce Ce will try and press. This might be a race to exploit the speed (Letruska) has and then, let’s go.”

[Related: Barn Tour: McCarthy talks Grade 1 winners and more]

Letruska, Clairiere and Maracuja each enter having won their only starts this year after winter breaks. Letruska, who closed out 2021 with a 10th in the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Distaff after contesting wicked fractions, returned with an easy front-running win in the Royal Delta (G3) at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 25.

“When a horse is coming off a layoff, especially after the Breeders’ Cup, it’s important to see how they come back," Gutierrez told HRN. ”What I saw was a stronger Letruska.” 

The homebred by Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver for St. George Stable has breezed four times since that effort. Letruska’s work tab does show extended breaks of up to two weeks between breezes in an era when horses tend to work every seven or eight days.

Gutierrez said the breaks weren't necessarily planned, but also not a concern.

“Yeah when I checked the (past performances), I saw it shows sometimes 10 days, 15 days between each workout. So I understand why the question, but it was not for any special reason,” Gutierrez said. “Some of it was the weather. But also she’s a horse that does so well on her open gallops that she doesn’t need to work every seven days or eight days like some horses. I work her only when I think she needs a workout. I prefer that she doesn’t go so fast, but more long distance.”

Clairiere, who was beaten less than a length when fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, kicked off the season with a 6 1/2-length romp in a high-level allowance at Fair Grounds on March 16.

Maracuja had an even lengthier break. Unraced since finishing fourth behind winner Clairiere in last September’s Cotillion (G1), the Honor Code filly won a high-level allowance of her own April 1 at Oaklawn Park to kick off her 4-year-old campaign.

Despite the short three-week turnaround, Maracuja’s trainer Rob Atras is banking that his filly will seize on a home-track advantage after having spent the winter at Oaklawn.

“It’s a small field, but it’s got like a Breeders’ Cup kind of feel to it,” Atras told Oaklawn publicity this week.“There’s some very nice mares in there. It’s a tough task to take on. But it’s a five-horse field. It’s a million dollars. We’ve been here all winter with her, so rather than having to ship, we thought we’d take our shot where she’s been training the last four or five months.”

Ce Ce, who like Letruska arrived at Oaklawn Park on Wednesday, has made two starts this year. She launched the campaign with a second in the seven-furlong Santa Monica in late February before shipping to Oaklawn and winning the Azeri (G2) by three-quarters of a length over Pauline’s Pearl and Shedaresthedevil.

Ce Ce has worked four times at Santa Anita since the Azeri, including a bullet five-furlong move in 58.0 seconds on April 9.

“It seems to me she is coming into this as well as she possibly could,” McCarthy said. “I’m just really looking forward to leading her over there on Saturday.”

Ce Ce this year is trying to join Unique Bella as the only horse to earn Eclipse Awards as both champion female sprinter and champion older female.