Apollitical Muse won the Grade 2, $300,900 Heritage Place Oaks on Saturday night a little more than a month after winning the Remington Park Oaks on April 19. Neither time did the betting public pay much attention to her.
On the night she won the Remington Park Oaks, Apollitical Muse paid $16.20 to win at 7-1 odds. Despite that half-length win in a $161,000 race, she was ignored again Saturday night as the punters let her slide up to 11-1 odds from her morning line of 6-1. On this occasion, Apollitical Muse returned $25.40 to win, $9.20 to place and $5.20 to show, under jockey Roman Cruz, who had not ridden her since last year.
Remington Park’s top jockey of the meet, Juan Pulido, was in the irons when she won the Remington Park Oaks. Pulido chose to ride Js Freightrain in the Heritage Place Oaks and she could only manage a fifth-place finish as the 3-5 odds-on betting favorite.
“I rode her last year in Tulsa (at Fair Meadows),” said Cruz, “and she had a big, big heart. This time, I was like, I just wish I could get her back, you know, since I know her. They put me back on her as a last-minute thing. I knew she could break well and she left there running. I said, ‘It’s time to win this race. Let’s go, and she did it.’ “
Apollitical Muse, a 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred filly by Apollitical Jess, out of the Southern Cartel mare BP Shes Southern, broke on top out of the gate and never was headed, winning by a head, outlasting runner-up Rainbow of Diamonds (5-2), who was the fastest qualifier for the race.
Cruz was not home free even after winning the Oaks by that short margin. He also had to survive an objection by Rainbow of Diamonds’ trainer Victor Rodriguez-Flores. The stewards had put up the inquiry sign in the race as well when Apollitical Muse drifted out in the last half of the race from the post-position two. Rainbow of Diamonds was in the post four. The judges looked at the claim of foul for about five minutes before disallowing it.
“I mean, yeah, she broke up front and I don’t know if the TV (super screen) scared her; she never does that,” said Cruz. “I was just thinking, ‘keep her straight and we might win it.’ I don’t have no explanation why she kept lugging out. But, during the race, I turned around and saw nobody. I wasn’t worried, no.”
Apollitical Muse ran the 400 yards in :19.398 over a fast track. Her trainer, Jed Vane, was a little bit confused as to why she went off at such high odds.
“They didn’t respect her tonight (at 11-1),” he said. “They didn’t respect her in the Remington Park Oaks (at 7-1). Maybe they’ll start respecting her now.”
Apollitical Muse’s owner Gregory Cullum of Fort Gibson, Okla., echoed his trainer’s thoughts.
“Her odds would have been even higher if I hadn’t bet on her,” he said with a laugh. “I’m very happy to have spent $55,000 (at the Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale in 2023) for this mare after tonight.”
The public may not have liked Apollitical Muse, but Vane said he had complete faith.
“I loved our chances all along,” Vane said. “The mare’s got a lot of heart. She has a lot of try. I’m so blessed that Greg sent this mare to us and that Roman picked her up today. I have a great team at the barn. It takes an army. I’m so proud of them.”
Apollitical Muse pocketed $126,378 for the win and now sits at 14 starts, six wins, two seconds and one third for lifetime earnings of $258,560.
The rest of the order of finish for the Oaks after the top two was DK Marney Jess (6-1) in third, Bold N Beautiful (56-1) fourth, Js Freightrain (the beaten wagering favorite, 3-5) fifth, Sheza Fearless Eagle (49-1) sixth, Catchn Southern Rays (32-1) seventh, Candy Flood (28-1) eighth, Flying Bandida (47-1) ninth and Jo Cash Run (83-1) 10th.
The winning filly was bred in Oklahoma by Rancho El Cabresto. This was only the fourth running of the Heritage Place Oaks and it was the first win in this stakes race for all connections.
