Untapable prevails in Apple Blossom

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC's Untapable (Tapit) finished a half-length second

in her four-year-old bow on March 14, but that was just a preview to Friday's

$600,00

Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park.

The bay miss was honored as champion three-year-old filly after going

six-for-seven in 2014, and was sent off the 1-5 favorite on Friday against six

rivals. Jockey John Vealzquez settled Untapable into an outside stalking

position as Sugar Shock (Candy Ride) moved up to set the pace through fractions

of :23 4/5 and :48 1/5. Pearl Turn (Bernardini) was pressing in second and

challenged Sugar Shock on the backstretch, gaining a slim advantage through

three-quarters in 1:12 before her rival battled back on the inside.

Those two continued to duel entering the turn, with Pearl Turn eventually

taking over. Unfortunately for her Untapable had begun her run by that point and

ranged up on the outside. The Kentucky-bred slipped past Pearl Turn and drew off

to be 2 1/2 lengths clear on the wire, finishing 1 1/16 miles on the fast main

track in 1:42 4/5.

"I was awfully

concerned with how sharp she's been, the works that she's put in," trainer Steve

Asmussen said. "I thought Johnny did a great job with her into the first turn.

Once they lined out down the backside, I thought she was really in a commanding

position and ran extremely well from there.

Untapable paid $2.40 for her first win of the year, which followed a second

in the Azeri S. (G2) to the re-opposing Gold Medal Dancer (Medaglia d'Oro). That

one wound up third in this spot just a neck behind 51-1 longshot Diva's Diamond

(Crafty Shaw).

"She ran a big race. Grade 1 placed is not anything to sneeze at. We're happy

with that and with her big effort," trainer Donnie Von Hemel praised his charge,

Gold Medal Dancer. "Untapable was very tough today. I could see a little

different scenario where maybe we could have been second instead of third, but

we're very proud of her, very proud. There's no shame in running third to

Untapable in a Grade 1 race."

The Apple Blossom enabled Untapble to add a fifth Grade 1 score to her

resume, as she already scored in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Kentucky Oaks,

Cotillion S. and Mother Goose S. last year. She also captured the Fair Grounds

Oaks (G2) and Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) as a sophomore and the Pocahontas S. (G2)

as a juvenile, and now boasts a 9-1-1 mark from 13 career starts. Thus far,

she's banked $3,416,725 over three seasons of racing.

"After the last race, when I saw her works coming up to this race it seemed

like she was very upset about losing the last one. You kind of got the feeling

like she was almost training herself and this was kind of the result we were

expecting and hoping for," owner Ron Winchell said. "I haven't really thought

about the next target. When we brought her back this was the main target and so,

accomplishing this, we'll look at the next options and try to figure that out."