Rivals of Adare Manor Rout in Apple Blossom

Bob Baffert arrives in Hot Springs with a purpose. Two weeks after defeating Muth in the Arkansas Derby (G1), the trainer added the track's second highly sought-after trophy to his 2024 collection when Adare Manor easily won the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) on April 13.

Adare Manor was a massive horse with a coat the colour of just-roasted coffee beans that was making her third trip outside of California in her sixteen career starts. In the 2022 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) and Cotillion Stakes (G1), she placed second and sixth, respectively, in her other two efforts. But at five years old, Adare Manor was more than capable of making it to the winner's circle this time.

The filly owned by Michael Lund Petersen garnered support from bettors when she entered the race on Saturday afternoon as the 3-5 favourite, ahead of Wet Paint, the 2023 Kentucky Oaks (G1) favourite and grade 1 winner. Riding Adare Manor after travelling to Arkansas, jockey Juan Hernandez launched the pair out from the 4-hole and immediately proved to their Oaklawn competitors that California speed would win the $1.25 million test for older females.

Hernandez cleared the path in splits of :23.68, :46.95, and 1:11.14, all the while maintaining Adare Manor at a slack harness. Adare Manor surged to the finish line, enjoying the additional sixteenth of a mile that she missed out on when finishing second in the Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) on March 9 because she had no opponents in sight at the quarter pole.

"(Adare Manor) felt very good and very strong (today)," Hernandez said after the race. "I think last time she probably needed the race since she coming off a couple months layoff (the Beholder Mile was the first outing for Adare Manor since her seventh-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Distaff) but today Bob Baffert and (assistant) Jimmy (Barnes) brought her ready. They had a lot of confidence in her. She was ready to win this race."

Adare Manor ran the 1 1/16 mile on a fast main track in 1:42.48, returning $3.40 for a $2 win ticket. With her share of the $675,000 purse, the winner's career bankroll increased to $1,736,600

Adare Manor is the first graded stakes winner of 2024 for Ashford Stud stallion Uncle Mo. In 2023, the son of Indian Charlie, who has produced 100 stakes winners globally, gave birth to three grade 1 winners. Among those three, Adare Manor was the winner of the Del Mar 2023 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1). Uncle Mo is asking $150,000 to secure the breeding season of 2024.