Buchu rallies for three-year-old debut stakes score (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
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Keeneland Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— Rigney Racing’s homebred Buchu rocketed past the field at the eighth pole and then held on for a half-length victory over Mo Fox Givin in the Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies.
Trained by Phil Bauer and ridden by Martin Garcia, Buchu completed the mile on a turf course rated good in 1:36.36. It is the second Grade 2 victory at Keeneland in six months for Buchu, Bauer and Garcia, who teamed to win the Jessamine Presented by Keeneland November.
Poolside With Slim (IRE) led the field of 12 through fractions of :22.88, :47.25 and 1:12.37 with Dozen Diamonds and Pounce in closest pursuit and Buchu racing in seventh. On the far turn, Buchu began picking off horses and then swung five wide into the stretch for clear running.
Buchu opened up passing the eighth pole and held off the late charge from Mo Fox Givin and Dancing N Dixie, who finished another neck back in third.
Buchu is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Justify out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Flowering Peach (IRE). Making her first start since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita in November, Buchu improved her record to 7-3-0-2 and increased her earnings to $541,255 with Saturday’s $226,300 check.
Buchu returned $15.04, $7.30 and $7.28. Mo Fox Given, ridden by Junior Alvarado, returned $40.38 and $17.84 with Dancing N Dixie, under Jose Ortiz, paying $7.60 to show.
It was another 3 lengths back to Simply in Front, who was followed in order by Poolside With Slim, Austere, Living Magic, Grecian Goddess, Kairyu (IRE), Crown Imperial, Pounce and Dozen Diamonds.
Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET that is highlighted by the $400,000 MiddleGround Capital Beaumont (G2) for 3-year-old fillies racing over the Beard Course of 7 furlongs, 184 feet. The MiddleGround Capital Beaumont is the afternoon’s eighth race with a 4:44 p.m. post time.
Quotes for the $400,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association
Phil Bauer (winning trainer of Buchu): “The original plan was the Edgewood (G2) – you know Churchill is our home track, so we try to key on that meet – but her last couple of works she surprised me where she was, in a good way. We came over here knowing she had run well. But this was a pretty good test, and you don’t expect those efforts. I was a little worried maybe she hit the front too early, but she’s game and hung on. So, it’s a pretty special feeling to be out here for the second time (after winning the Jessamine-G2 during last year’s Fall Meet). You come here as a kid and dream about it, and it’s pretty surreal.”
Martin Garcia (winning rider): “She has been working really good the last three times. Thanks to Phil for giving me a chance to ride her. She just likes me. I guess we’re just comfortable with each other. I think we had a really good position because we had speed from outside and inside. Phil told me maybe she needed a race, because she hadn’t run since the Breeders’ Cup (when sixth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf-G1). He told me to just be comfortable and have a lot of confidence because we know she’s a really good filly, and that’s what I did: just stayed all the way around comfortable and she relaxed, and when I asked her to go, and she just kicked in. It looked like they were going to go by her, but she was just waiting for company.”
Junior Alvarado (rider of runner-up and longshot Mo Fox Given): “Had a good trip and was in the back of the pack. She came out running very nice. She was there for me every time I asked her. We kept trying and trying and trying, but she just couldn’t get to the winner. They were moving along pretty good at the front, and that helped my filly from off the pace. It kind of helped when the horses started coming back to me and she was moving forward at the same time.”
Jose Ortiz (rider of third-place finisher Dancing N Dixie): “(My trip) was good. Last time she was in the back of the pack and made a good run, so I tried to do the same. Sat on the back today, I think she made a great run. I think she ran very good today.”
