Rushing Fall Poised for Season Debut in Appalachian

It is one thing to be labeled a special talent in a horseman's shedrow. It is another to carry the hopes of being the next top turf female to emerge from the barn of Chad Brown.

The two-time defending Eclipse Award winner for outstanding trainer has cranked out exceptional grass runners at a rate that requires a flow chart to follow—from champions Zagora to Stacelita to Dayatthespa to his most recent iron maiden in Lady Eli. So when Rushing Fall elicited some lofty adjectives after coming from the clouds over the Keeneland turf in October to earn her first graded stakes score, it resonated more than typical post-race declarations.

One Breeders' Cup victory and a spot on the Eclipse Award ballot later, there was no denying the daughter of More Than Ready  was in line as the next potential star in Brown's care. The first read on how well she carries those expectations forward in her 3-year-old season comes April 8, when Rushing Fall makes her season debut against 10 challengers in the Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Keeneland.

When Rushing Fall unleashed her massive late kick to capture the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at Del Mar Nov. 3, it marked her third win in as many starts since debuting in impressive fashion at Belmont Park Sept. 16. She earned her place in the Breeders' Cup field when she swallowed up foes in the Keeneland stretch en route to a 3 1/4-length victory in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G3T). Although the balloting for champion 2-year-old filly didn't go her way—that honor went to Caledonia Road—Rushing Fall's connections say their girl takes a back seat to no one.

"She's just a phenomenal horse, she's something special to watch," said owner Bob Edwards of e Five Racing Thoroughbreds. "If she shows up, which we're expecting her to, then we're really going to have something special to look forward to this year. She's coming off the layoff—her last stretch was something like three races in 48 days, three tracks, three states—but she's been training phenomenal. We're excited to see her blossom.

"And if she gets her lead switch on time this time, who knows what she can do."

If Rushing Fall is vulnerable, there are a couple rivals with the form to take advantage in the one-mile Appalachian, which counts Lady Eli (2015), Canadian champion Catch a Glimpse (2016), and eventual grade 1 winner La Coronel (2017) as its last three victors.

Trainer Graham Motion has a budding standout of his own in Thewayiam, winner of four of her last five starts, including consecutive graded stakes scores. The daughter of Thewayyouare captured the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 6 and backed up that successful bow with come-from-behind victories in the Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) and Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T).

In addition to sharing a strong closing kick, Thewayiam and Rushing Fall also have an affinity for Keeneland, with the former winning a one-mile allowance test over the course in her North American debut in October.

The George Weaver-trained Daddy Is a Legend broke her maiden over the Keeneland turf going 1 1/8 miles Oct. 27, and this will be her first start since capturing the one-mile Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T) Nov. 25 at Del Mar.

Entries: Appalachian S. Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T)

Keeneland, Sunday, April 08, 2018, Race 8

• Grade IIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:57 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Daddy Is a Legend (PA)	Joe Bravo	123	George Weaver	7/2
2	2Rushing Fall (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	Chad C. Brown	7/5
3	3Lounge Act (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Brad H. Cox	20/1
4	4She's Pretty Lucky (TX)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	Eddie Kenneally	20/1
5	5Cash Out (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	120	George R. Arnold, II	15/1
6	6Dixie Moon (ON)	Mike E. Smith	120	Catherine Day Phillips	15/1
7	7Heavenly Love (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Mark E. Casse	15/1
8	8Ultima D (KY)	Julio A. Garcia	118	Wesley A. Ward	20/1
9	9Thewayiam (FR)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	H. Graham Motion	7/2
10	10Beach Waltz (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Michael J. Maker	20/1
11	11Goodthingstaketime (IRE)	Joel Rosario	118	Jorge R. Abreu	15/1