Bluegrass Angus heading to Keeneland’s Perryville

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Craig MacPherson is excited about the prospect of running Bluegrass Angus in the $100,000 Perryville Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 31. Bluegrass Angus is the top 3-year-old at Hastings and is coming off a runner-up finish behind the 3-year-old filly Academic in the Grade 3, $250,000 British Columbia Derby on Aug. 13.

The six-furlong Perryville is part of the Breeders’ Cup undercard, and MacPherson, who has never been to Kentucky, is looking forward not only to seeing Bluegrass Angus run but also to watching the best horses in North America compete.

“I am going to get to see American Pharoah and Beholder,” he said. “How tough can that be?”

MacPherson said he also will use the trip to tour some of the area’s breeding farms.

“This is a great opportunity for me, and I am going to take in everything I can,” he said.

Bluegrass Angus will be cutting back to a sprint in the Perryville after running in three straight routes. He won the Chris Loseth Handicap and Richmond Derby Trial before his heartbreaking loss in the B.C. Derby. It looked like he was home and cooled out in midstretch in the 1 1/8-mile race, but he tired late, and Academic was just getting rolling when she edged him by a neck at the wire.

The hard-fought loss didn’t appear to take anything out of Bluegrass Angus when he worked a bullet four furlongs in 46.20 seconds Tuesday with leading rider Richard Hamel aboard.

“Richard was very impressed,” MacPherson said. “He really couldn’t have worked any better, and I was happy to see how eager he was.”

The last time Bluegrass Angus sprinted, he earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 89 when he romped by more than six lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs in the River Rock Casino.

“He’s fast, and he can sprint,” said MacPherson. “I’m sure he will be facing some fast ones in Keeneland as well, though.”

MacPherson is hoping to ship Bluegrass Angus to Kentucky a couple of weeks before the race.

“I plan on giving him an easy work next weekend before he goes,” he said.