Havre de Grace wins $500,000 Apple Blossom
April 15, 2011HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) - Havre de Grace used a furious closing kick to overcome a four-length deficit and win the $500,000 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park on Friday.
The 4-year-old mare, trained since January by Larry Jones, also won the Grade 3 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn last month. Friday's win was the horse's first Grade 1 victory.
Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Havre de Grace was four lengths behind leader Absinthe Minded and Switch during the final turn. Switch pulled ahead at the start of the straight stretch, but Havre de Grace closed late in the 1 1/16-mile race and pulled ahead in final 1/16 to earn the win by 3/4 a length.
Havre de Grace paid $3, $2.20 and $2.10. Switch paid $3 and $2.10, while Absinthe Minded paid $2.60.