Pleasant Passage, Cairo Consort Rematch in Appalachian
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta
Pleasant Passage wins the 2022 Miss Grillo Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
It will be a case of déjà vu for Pleasant Passage and Cairo Consort when they return to Keeneland for the April 8 Appalachian Stakes (G2T). Their last duel ended in a 2-3 finish behind Meditate at the conclusion of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) in November of 2022.
The $400,000 Appalachian for 3-year-old fillies going one mile over the turf is part of Keeneland's Spring Meet opening weekend which includes the Shakertown Stakes (G2), Madison Stakes (G1), and $1,000,000 Blue Grass Stakes (G1).
The Shug McGaughey-trained Pleasant Passage makes her first start since a runner-up finish on the world stage where she chased Meditate right up to the wire and landed 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner. Previous to the Breeders' Cup, the homebred for Emory Hamilton was undefeated in two starts including a maiden special weight race at Saratoga Race Course last August, and a victory in the Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) in early October at Belmont At The Big A.
The daughter of More Than Ready has been based at the Payson Park Training Center since February and went four furlongs in :47 2/5 over the dirt for her last breeze April 1.
Cairo Consort takes the Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Taking a different approach to her 3-year-old season, Todd Pletcher trainee Cairo Consort has seen three starts since finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf—all at Gulfstream Park. She kicked off the year with a win in the Jan. 7 Ginger Brew Stakes and followed that up with another victory in the Feb. 4 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T). Last out she took third behind Danse Macabre and Papilio in the March 4 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T).
Campaigned by Repole Stable and Town and Country Racing, the Cairo Prince filly was also a winner of the 2022 Catch A Glimpse Stakes and runner-up in the Natalma Stakes (G1T), both at Woodbine. She has been based at Palm Beach Downs for the past several months and last worked March 24, going four furlongs in :50.75 on the dirt.
Stablemate Alpha Bella also arrives on form, having finished runner-up in her last two starts including the Sweetest Chant and last out in the March 11 Florida Oaks (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs. The Don Alberto Stable homebred broke her maiden on her fourth try after three failed attempts on dirt in a maiden special weight over the turf last December at Gulfstream.
Other entrants include Herecomesthebride second Papilio, Sweetest Chant third Heavenly Sunday , Miss Grillo third Be Your Best , 2022 Jessamine Stakes (G2T) fourth Sabalenka , stakes-placed Beautifulnavigator , and allowance optional claiming winner Well Into .
Keeneland, Saturday, April 08, 2023, Race 6Entries: Appalachian S. Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Beautifulnavigator (IRE)
James Graham
118
Kenneth G. McPeek
12/1
2
2Papilio (IRE)
Javier Castellano
118
Mark E. Casse
6/1
3
3Cairo Consort (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Todd A. Pletcher
3/1
4
4Heavenly Sunday (KY)
Florent Geroux
118
Brad H. Cox
8/1
5
5Alpha Bella (KY)
Joel Rosario
118
Todd A. Pletcher
9/2
6
6Be Your Best (IRE)
Luis Saez
118
Horacio De Paz
8/1
7
7Pleasant Passage (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
Claude R. McGaughey III
5/2
8
8Sabalenka (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
D. Whitworth Beckman
30/1
9
9Well Into (KY)
Vincent Cheminaud
118
Jonathan Thomas
10/1
