Buchu Returns to Keeneland Off Layoff for Appalachian

The return of springtime racing in Kentucky has brought a wide-open field of 12 fillies to Keeneland April 6 as they look to claim leadership over the 3-year-old turf division in the one-mile, $400,000 Appalachian Stakes (G2T).

Rigney Racing's Buchu  proved best over the Keeneland turf last fall, taking the track's premier 2-year-old filly grass stakes, the Jessamine (G2T). Entering the stretch in last, the daughter of Justify   launched an impressive rally on the far outside to take the lead at the sixteenth pole and draw off to win by 3 3/4 lengths.

Video: Jessamine S. presented by Keeneland November (G2T)

Buchu followed that performance with a start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita Park Nov. 3. Bottled up on the rail for most of the race, she never got a solid chance to run until late in the stretch and finished sixth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths. She returns home to make her 3-year-old debut off a five-month layoff.

Running past Buchu in the late stages of the Breeders' Cup to grab fifth was Belmar Racing and Breeding, Bradley Thoroughbreds, Cambron Equine, Tucci Stables, and Gary Finder's Austere . Prior to that effort, the Mendelssohn   filly won the Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Kentucky Downs Sept. 10. She made her 3-year-old debut March 9 in the Florida Oaks (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs, where she came from off the pace but settled for fifth, 1 3/4 lengths behind.

Mark Casse, who sends out a pair of fillies, is the only trainer with multiple entries in the field. Pounce  was purchased after a Feb. 11 Gulfstream Park allowance win for $370,000 by Resolute Racing at the Fasig-Tipton February Digital Selected Sale Feb. 20. Eleven days later, she became the owner's first graded stakes winner by taking the Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T) by a neck. The Lookin At Lucky  filly is 2-for-2 on turf.

Casse also sends out Dancing N Dixie  for Quintessential Racing Florida, Rocky Top Stable, and Lemb Stables. Winner of the Our Dear Peggy Stakes Nov. 3 on synthetic at Gulfstream, she was most recently third, closing from nine lengths back to lose by a length in the Florida Oaks.

Also in the Field

• Kairyu  makes her first start stateside for Cherie DeVaux after three starts in Ireland as a 2-year-old. She won the Anglesey Stakes (G3) at the Curragh July 22.
• Grecian Goddess  broke her maiden on debut Jan. 20 at Tampa for Christophe Clement and makes her second start now in the barn of Chad Brown.
• Crown Imperial  was third to Buchu in the Jessamine and fourth to Pounce in the Herecomesthebride.
• Dozen Diamonds  took a 1 1/16-mile allowance race wire-to-wire by 2 1/4 lengths in her lone start over the Keeneland turf.
• Returning from a five-month layoff, Simply in Front  is the only grade 1-placed filly in the race, having finished second in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine Sept. 16.

The Appalachian is race 7 with post time at 4:14 p.m. ET.