The Mackem Bullet finds the mark in Appalachian Stakes
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wesley Ward usually starts the Keeneland spring meet the way his 2-year-olds start races – very quickly. That trend held sway Sunday, when Ward sent out The Mackem Bullet to capture the last of nine opening-week stakes, the Grade 2, $200,000 Appalachian.
“That was just our second winner here this week,” said Ward, who won a Friday maiden race with the 2-year-old Lady Pauline, “but it was a good one.”
The Mackem Bullet, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, broke sharply to sit a great trip in second through the first six furlongs of the one-mile Appalachian, which was run over soft turf and contested by 11 3-year-old fillies. Turning for home, she seized command from Catch a Thrill and quickly spurted to a sizable lead, allowing her to withstand a belated run from Regal Glory.
“I had a perfect trip,” said Gaffalione, who was the leading jockey here last fall.
The Mackem Bullet, an Irish-bred owned by Katsumi Yoshida, returned $15.20 after finishing in 1:39.31. Since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in early November for former trainer Brian Ellison, she has raced three times for Ward, with her last two coming over the Polytrack surface at Turfway Park.
“She had a really good winter here in Kentucky,” said Ward. “We always thought she preferred the turf, and she had just a beautiful breeze here during the week. She’s an exciting filly.”
Ward said the English 1000 Guineas or the French Guineas loom as possibilities for The Mackem Bullet, who began her career with five starts overseas. She is now 3 for 10 overall. “Taking her back to Europe has kind of been the idea all along,” said Ward.
Regal Glory, the 3-1 second choice for jockey Jose Ortiz and trainer Chad Brown, finished 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner and another 2 1/4 lengths before Princesa Carolina. A second Brown filly, Clause, had no mishap when fading to eighth as the 17-10 favorite under Irad Ortiz Jr.
The $2 exacta (4-9) paid $67.60, the $1 trifecta (4-9-5) returned $197.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-9-5-8) was worth $143.87.
After two dark days, racing resumes here Wednesday with the first five-day week of the 16-day spring meet.
