Apple Blossom

Stronach Stables' SPUN SUGAR (Awesome Again) quickly moved to the front when

the gates opened in Saturday's $500,000

Apple

Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park but didn't have things all her own way in

the 1 1/16-mile test. With Star Parade (Arg) (Parade Marshal) first pressing to her outside

and later Happy Ticket (Anet) delivering a challenge, the Todd Pletcher-trained bay had to dig in to post the neck victory as the 3-1 third

choice.

With Mike Luzzi aboard, Spun Sugar set the first split of :23 3/5, but found

herself a half-length back in second as Martin Pedroza sent Star Parade after

her through a half in :47 3/5. Moving back up to stick a head in front past

three-quarters in 1:11 4/5, Spun Sugar found Happy Ticket making her move as

Star Parade faded heading into the stretch.

A match race was anticipated in the Apple Blossom, and it was delivered as

Spun Sugar and Happy Ticket battled it out to the wire. The latter mare started

drifting out in the stretch, but was shaken back up and settled back into the

battle, but Spun Sugar had just enough left to get her neck down on the wire,

finishing 8 1/2 furlongs on the fast track in 1:42 2/5.

Spun Sugar paid out $8.60, $4 and $3.20 while keying the $22.40 exacta and

$222.20 trifecta (6-2-3). Happy Ticket was much the best of the rest, returning

$3 and $2.20 as the 6-5 favorite for finishing 6 1/2 lengths ahead of La Reason

(Labeeb [GB]), who gave back $5.20 as the 44-1 longshot. Platinum Ballet (Skip

Away), Star Parade and Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) completed the order under the

wire.

Spun Sugar adds this victory to a score in the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) last

year. Among her placings as a sophomore were the Alabama S. (G1), Mother Goose

S. (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). She now boasts a 9-5-3-1 record

with $764,171 in career earnings.

The second registered foal out of the multiple stakes-winning Irish Cherry

(Irish Open), Spun Sugar was bred in Kentucky by Adena Springs. The

four-year-old miss has a sophomore half-brother named Press Gently (Wild Rush),

an unnamed juvenile full brother and an unnamed yearling half-brother by Sky

Mesa.