Appalachian favorite Pounce finds her footing on turf

Out of nowhere, Pounce evinced star potential this winter at Gulfstream Park, but after generally escaping attention in Florida, the filly is difficult to overlook Saturday at Keeneland in the Appalachian Stakes.

Pounce began her career winning a dirt sprint last fall at Churchill, then performed modestly over the Tapeta surface at Turfway Park. The filly is a turf horse. She overcame post 11, crossing, clearing, setting a fast pace, and winning a first-level Gulfstream allowance in her grass debut after trainer Mark Casse took her to Florida.

That was a very good race, but Pounce was better March 2. In the Herecomesthebride Stakes, jockey Javier Castellano took her back after breaking once again from an outside post. Pounce raced seventh of eight with a quarter-mile remaining, was forced very wide, but finished off a final quarter-mile in 23.08 seconds with a last furlong in just more than 11 seconds to beat the capable filly Life’s an Audible by a neck.

“This filly could be a superstar,” Casse said.

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The Appalachian, a Grade 2 worth $400,000 for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on grass, drew a dozen entrants and looks highly competitive. Pounce, with a decent trip from post 10 under Castellano, might be too much for them.

By Lookin At Lucky, the filly failed to meet a $22,000 reserve at a yearling auction and went into training for the Hat Creek Racing partnership and Quintessential Racing Florida, the latter the nom de course of Tina Casse, Mark Casse’s wife. Following her first turf win, Pounce was cataloged in an online auction and purchased for $380,000 by John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, remaining in Casse’s barn.

Pounce is a powerful, robust filly still learning the ropes.

“She laid in a couple times in her last start and [Castellano] had to straighten her out,” Casse said.

Casse’s second entrant, Dancing N Dixie, also stands a chance. She had a poor trip finishing sixth in the Ginger Brew Stakes, her turf debut, and rallied wide and effectively from last of 11 for third in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks, despite her rider apparently losing his left iron in midstretch.

Buchu turned in two powerful turf performances last fall in Kentucky, crushing Churchill maidens and winning the Jessamine at Keeneland by nearly four lengths, before a decent sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She races for the first time since Nov. 2, but trainer Phil Bauer excels with layoff runners.

Austere finished just in front of Buchu in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf and would offer value at something close to her 10-1 morning-line odds. A close fifth in the Florida Oaks, Austere could come forward Saturday.

“She didn’t have the smoothest trip last time. It was probably the first time she got in that tight. She got plenty out of it,” trainer Brendan Walsh said.

Poolside With Slim could set the pace from the rail and can hang around if she settles somewhat better than in her fourth-place Florida Oaks finish.

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