THE ‘upset tummy’ that forced exciting US filly Applauding to miss here scheduled Grade 3 Silverbulletday Stakes mission last weekend has settled with plans drawn up to contest the Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park on February 11.
The unbeaten daughter of Vinery Stud resident Congrats was heavily fancied to take out last Saturday’s Louisiana feature but had to be withdrawn on race morning owing to signs of a stomach ailment which was later diagnosed a slight bout of colic or gas.
Since then, the tearaway three-year-old’s condition has improved markedly as she seeks to continue her ascendancy among the rising stars of the North American racing scene.
“We have a little bloodwork still at the lab, but she’s eating and passing manure,” trainer Al Stall told Daily Racing Form. “She seems like her regular self.”
Applauding has taken her only two starts to date debuting with a dazzling win at Keeneland in Kentucky where she set a new course record on the Polytrack.
She then ventured to Louisian’s Fair Grounds circuit where she proceeded to win her most recent outing at odds of 1/10 on by a margin of 6 1/2-lens putting down incredible fractions including a sub 46s 4 furlongs (about 800m).
The filly’s proposed Martha Washington Stakes assignment will present a good sized test for her overall skills to see whether she is able to stretch her uncommon pace and speed to a mile.
Applauding is aiming to join a honour roll of supremely talented fillies to have won the race including Rachel Alexander (2009) and Eight Belles who holds the biggest winning margin when she blazed away to take the feature by 13 1/2-lens in 2008.
