Hot Springs, AR (SportsNetwork.com) – Eclipse Award winner Untapable has been
installed as the 1-2 morning line favorite versus five rivals for Saturday’s
$300,000 Azeri Stakes at Oaklawn Park she makes her 2015 debut.
Untapable, trained by Steve Asmussen, will leave from the inside post in the
1 1/16-mile stakes with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez taking over the
mount from the retired Rosie Napravnik.
“She is doing extremely well and this race will be a good starting point to
her 4-year-old campaign,” said Asmussen.
Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Untapable has earned nearly $3 million with
eight wins from 11 lifetime starts. The 4-year-old reeled off consecutive wins
last year in the Rachel Alexandra, Fair Grounds Oaks, Kentucky Oaks and Mother
Goose Stakes.
The filly took on the boys in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park but
finished fifth as the 7-5 favorite to eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner
Bayern. However, she came back to win the Cotillion at Parx Racing and the
Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Untapable was a unanimous selection as 2014 champion 3-year-old filly,
receiving all 265 votes.
Here is the field for the Azeri from the rail out: Untapable, John Velazquez,
1-2; Diva’s Diamond, Cliff Berry, 30-1; Sugar Shock, Channing Hill, 10-1; Gold
Medal Dancer, Luis Quinonez, 10-1; Mufajaah, Emmanuel Esquivel, 4-1 and Flashy
American, Chris Landeros, 5-1.
Th Azeri has an approximate post time of 5:21 p.m. ET.