Rushing Fall All Class in Appalachian Victory

Among the many benefits of training horses with exceptional talent is they can get away with things that would compromise many of their competitors.

They can miss a work or two and still be fit enough to come into their season debut as an overwhelming favorite. And even if they are less than their best, they have enough class to muscle through.

Such is the beauty of unbeaten grade 1 winner Rushing Fall. In her first start since capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) in November, the daughter of More Than Ready  showed who she was in the $200,000 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T), drawing clear in the late stretch to win by a length over multiple graded stakes winner Thewayiam over the Keeneland turf April 8.

"It's another big relief and a nice feeling, because there is a little extra pressure when they are undefeated," winning trainer Chad Brown said of his charge, who is unblemished in four starts. "You hate to spoil that. It's hard to do, especially on the turf ... but it's a testament to how talented the horse is."

In a barn with no shortage of stars, Rushing Fall stamped herself as special last season when she won three starts in a two-month span, culminating with her 3/4-length victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

Though she only had five works coming into Sunday's one-mile race, Rushing Fall came into hand quickly for Brown, noticeably filled out her bay frame, and gave her connections confidence she didn't need to be 100% ready to deliver a winning effort.

"She had been training really well. She's such a remarkable talent," Brown said. "I tell you, though, she only had (five) works, and she missed a work or two over the course of this winter. I didn't think it would really matter, though. I thought she was so talented, she could overcome it."

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

In her first visit to Keeneland in October, Rushing Fall uncorked a breathtaking kick in the stretch to take the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G3T)  by 3 1/4 lengths.

With the pace shaping up on the slow side in the Appalachian, Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano took advantage of his 1-2 favorite's sharp break from post 2 and had Rushing Fall closer up in fourth as Lounge Act registered fractions of :24.67 and :49.91 over a course rated yielding.

"I know the pace was slow today," Castellano said. "I didn't expect her to be too close to the pace, but the way the race unfolded, I took it from there. She was much the best. She's one of the best fillies I've ridden in my career."

Rushing Fall was content to hold that position in the nine-horse field coming into the far turn, when Castellano opened the reins and let her advance three wide past Beach Waltz to her inside. Recent grade 3 winner Daddy Is a Legend tried to challenge Rushing Fall in the stretch, but the e Five Racing Thoroughbreds color-bearer turned that one back and withstood a late run from Thewayiam to cover the distance in 1:38.66.

"Javier just rode her perfectly, and I never even saw the whip ever come out," said owner Bob Edwards of e Five Racing. "She's just grown. She's longer, and she just really stretches out. When she came into the stretch, she just kicked into gear and was ready to go."

Goodthingstaketime got up for third, with Daddy Is a Legend fourth and Beach Waltz fifth. Grade 1 winner Heavenly Love came in sixth, with She's Pretty Lucky, Lounge Act, and Dixie Moon rounding out the order of finish.

Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, Rushing Fall was purchased by Mike Ryan, agent, for $320,000 out of the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale. Out of the Forestry mare Autumnal, Rushing Fall is a half sister to stakes winner Milam.

"I just wanted to get her started and see where we're at," Brown said. "Getting her stretched out in distance is a priority. Exactly how we do that, I don't want to commit to yet. I want to see how she takes this race and go from there."