Canadian champion Catch a Glimpse captures Appalachian Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Less than a week after being crowned the 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year, Catch a Glimpse showed why she earned that honor with a determined three-quarter-length victory over Ava’s Kitten in the Grade 3, $125,000 Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland on Thursday.

Outsprinted early, Catch a Glimpse settled in third early under regular rider Florent Geroux, as longshots Recognition and Princess Princess established the pace with splits of 23.37 seconds and 47.86 in the one-mile turf race. Leaving the backstretch Geroux took a confident peek over his shoulder, and asked Catch a Glimpse for more speed.

Catch a Glimpse surged alongside the leaders soon after a six-furlong split in 1:12.88, although she didn’t accelerate in quite the same many that she had in some of her prior wins, such as in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She gradually opened up a two-length lead in midstretch, and seemed to coast late after putting away a stretch bid from Ava’s Kitten.

Outsider Art, who finished a half- length behind runner-up Ava’s Kitten, rallied belatedly to finish third.

Catch a Glimpse switched leads a couple times in the lane, which Geroux attributed to her losing her focus after putting away the competition.

“Sometimes at the end she can show a little bit of a weakness. Sometimes she gets a little bit bored,” he said.

A 3-year-old City Zip filly owned by Gary Barber, Michael James Ambler, and Windways Farm, Catch a Glimpse ($3.20) raced a mile on a firm course in 1:37.27, well off the stakes record of 1:34.80, notably set by her dam, Halo River, in 1998.

Norm Casse, the son and lead assistant of trainer Mark Casse, said plans for Catch a Glimpse would be evaluated in the coming days, but mentioned the Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs on Oaks Day, May 6 as a possible next-race option.

Dothraki Queen, last year’s third-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, turned in a flat comeback race. She ended up eighth, passing only two tired fillies. Having raced predominantly on dirt last year, Dothraki Queen was switched to turf for her first start at 3.

Attendance at Keeneland under ideal spring weather was 9,846.