Count Lathum next for Apalachee Bay

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Phil Hall reported that Apalachee Bay came out of his impressive win in a maiden special weight race last Sunday in excellent shape and will soon be heading to Alberta where he will run in the $50,000 Count Lathum for 3-year-olds on July 14 at Northlands Park. He will be stretching out to a middle distance for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile race.

One of the reasons for the trip is that Apalachee Bay is owned by Peter Redekop. Redekop has Argosy Fleet pointed to the $50,000 Chris Loseth on July 1 at Hastings. Trained by Blaine Wright, Argosy Fleet had a rough trip when he finished second to Wise Market in the River Rock Casino and will likely be favored in the 1 1/16-mile Loseth.

The 77 Beyer Speed Figure that Apalachee Bay received for his six-length romp going 6 1/2 furlongs is the best by any 3-year-old male at Hastings this year. The Hall-trained and Redekop-owned Toni Ann’s Miracle received a 79 for her facile win in the $50,000 Emerald Downs for fillies here June 2.

It is hard to say which of Apalachee Bay’s two races at Hastings were more impressive. In his first start for Hall, he was a lot closer to the outside fence than the rail going into the first turn and finished a close fourth in a maiden special weight race on May 27. Nobody can remember a horse going that wide into the first turn and still hanging around to be a serious threat in the stretch. He was an overlay at even-money in his dominating victory.

Apalachee Bay is by Malibu Moon and is the first foal out of Golden Mystery, who won nine races including the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park. Golden Mystery didn’t win a race longer than seven furlongs, though, so Apalachee Bay may not be suited for the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Derby where he would have to go 1 3/8 miles around four turns on Aug. 25 at Northlands.

Bryan Anderson, who manages Redekop’s horses, wasn’t looking past the Count Lathum.

“We don’t really have any long-term plans for him just yet,” Anderson said. “We thought Argosy Fleet was our best 3-year-old here, but the way Apalachee Bay won we’re not so sure.”

Wright knows what the goal is for Argosy Fleet. He is hoping the Kentucky-bred son of Mineshaft is good enough to sweep the newly created Northwest Triple. If he can win the $50,000 Muckleshoot Derby at Emerald Downs on July 29, the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby on Sept. 8, and the $100,000 Getaway Stakes at Emerald on Sept. 23, he would receive a $100,000 bonus.

“He’s the kind of horse that may be able to do it,” Wright said. “One of the things going for him is that he ships well. What remains to be seen if he is good enough.”

We should know more about that next Sunday.