Lady Apple meets familiar foes in Oaklawn's Azeri Stakes

Phoenix Thorougbbreds' Lady Apple will aim to extend her three-race winning streak and follow stablemate Midnight Bisou in Saturday's Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The 4-year-old daughter of Curlin, trained by Steve Asmussen, has won five of her last seven starts overall, with her latest outing a half-length victory over her top Azeri rivals in the Jan. 26 Houston Ladies Classic (G3).

Lady Apple avenged last season's Kentucky Oaks loss to Serengeti Empress last time at Sam Houston and became Asmussen's second straight Ladies Classic winner. A season ago, Midnight Bisou launched her championship season there before also sweeping Oaklawn's Azeri and Apple Blossom (G1).

Now it's Lady Apple's turn to duplicate the feat. She'll break from post 4, just inside of Serengeti Empress in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile race.

The Azeri's field of seven older fillies and mares will also include the two other top finishers in the Houston Ladies Classic, Street Band and Mylady Curlin.

At age 3, Lady Apple earned her trip to the Kentucky Oaks by winning Oaklawn's Fantasy Stakes (G3). Other sophomore highlights were wins in the Iowa Oaks (G3) and Remington Park Oaks (G3).

Serengeti Empress, meanwhile, has gone winless since the Kentucky Oaks, though she's only missed the board once in five starts since then.

Post time for the Azeri Stakes is 5:50 p.m. ET. It's the ninth race on a 10-race card and will be followed by the Rebel Stakes (G2) for Kentucky Derby hopefuls.