APROPOS, making her first start in graded stakes company, finished with energy to place in the G1 Madison S. at Keeneland. Forwardly placed in this seven-furlong event on the all-weather, the daughter of FIRST SAMURAI was hemmed in at the top of the lane, but eventually got clear and ran on to the finish. APROPOS won her first two starts of this year, including a 3 1/4-length score in the $100,000 American Beauty S. at Oaklawn Park. The consistent Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider homebred has won or placed in nine of ten starts, including five wins, and has earned $250,433.
Also on Saturday, G1-placed CARVE placed in the Oaklawn H.-G2, beaten just 1 1/4 lengths and finishing behind Eclipse Award winner Will Take Charge and Classic-placed Revolutionary. The 4-year-old son of FIRST SAMURAI was forwardly placed, slipped through along the rail to challenge into the lane and finished strongly. Last year, CARVE placed in four stakes, including the Arkansas Derby-G1 and Oklahoma Derby-G3. Out of the A.P. Indy mare, Apt, he was bred by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider.