New Money Honey, Coasted get rematch in loaded Appalachian Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – If you thought opening weekend was the only time top-class horses would run at the Keeneland spring meet, well, think again.

Another flurry of graded stakes starts here Thursday with the Appalachian Stakes, a one-mile turf race that rematches the top two finishers from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall. The Grade 3, $125,000 Appalachian kicks off a second three-day span of outstanding stakes competition that culminates Saturday with the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley.

New Money Honey and Coasted, the one-two finishers in the Breeders’ Cup, are among an oversubscribed field of 3-year-old fillies in this 29th running of the Appalachian, the eighth of nine Thursday races. Whereas Coasted and several other top contenders have the benefit of at least one race already this year, New Money Honey will be returning from a five-month layoff.

“She’s right on schedule,” said trainer Chad Brown, referring to a series of seven workouts that began in late February in Florida. “She really is doing well. We thought this was the right spot to get us started on the year. It looks like she’ll be given a tough test right away.”

Javier Castellano has the return mount on New Money Honey, who will break from post 4 in a race limited to 12 starters. Thirteen were entered, with Ghostly Presence the lone also-eligible.

Coasted (post 6, Irad Ortiz Jr.), trained by Leah Gyarmati, was sharp in her seasonal debut March 4, forging to the lead in the Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park before giving way in the final yards to Dream Dancing.

Dream Dancing (post 1, Julien Leparoux) will start right alongside her uncoupled stablemate, La Coronel (post 2, Florent Geroux), for trainer Mark Casse.

“It could be a dead heat between our two,” Casse said with a laugh. “Both are really good fillies and are coming into the race the right way. As good as this field is, they should be giving away a lot more money. Heck, I vote for a Grade 1.”

Other notables in the Appalachian lineup include Bellavais (post 5, John Velazquez), a winner of an ungraded stakes at Gulfstream last out for her Darby Dan Farm connections; Journey Home (post 7, Trevor McCarthy), an ungraded stakes winner at Del Mar getting Lasix for the first time; Lull (post 10, Jose Ortiz), an ungraded stakes winner at Kentucky Downs for Claiborne Farm, also getting first-time Lasix; and Morticia (post 11, Jose Lezcano), stretching out for Rusty Arnold after winning back-to-back Gulfstream turf sprints.

First post Thursday is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the Appalachian going at 4:57. Three allowances directly precede the feature as races 5 through 7.

Another good day of weather is in store for ontrack fans, with mostly sunny skies and a high of 74 in the forecast.

KEY CONTENDERS

New Money Honey, by Medaglia d’Oro
Last 3 Beyers: 85-83-77

◗ Her half-length triumph at 6-1 in the Nov. 4 BC Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita for owners e Five Racing Thoroughbreds followed a romp on the Aqueduct turf in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo, which came in just her second start and while she was still a maiden.

Coasted, by Tizway
Last 3 Beyers: 85-84-74

◗ The winner of the P.G. Johnson during the final week of the 2016 Saratoga meet, this Treadway Racing Stable standout followed the heady comeback at Gulfstream with four terrific breezes and appears primed for another big one.

Dream Dancing, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 85-80-67

◗ True grit was on display in her neck triumph in the Herecomesthebride, as she fought her way through traffic while overcoming adversity for a second straight win over the Gulfstream course.

La Coronel, by Colonel John
Last 3 Beyers: 83-79-87

◗ Her eye-catching win here last fall in the Grade 3 Jessamine was enough to make her the lukewarm favorite in the Breeders’ Cup, and a near-miss as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs should set her up for this.