The Mackem Bullet (IRE) Wins Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association

By Amy Owens —-

The Mackem Bullet (IRE) Wins Appalachian
Presented by Japan Racing Association

LEXINGTON, KY (April 7, 2019) – Katsumi Yoshida’s The Mackem Bullet (IRE) roared past pacesetting Catch a Thrill in the upper stretch and coasted to a 1¼-length victory over Regal Glory to win the 31st running of the $200,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies before a crowd of 9,699 on Sunday afternoon.

In the race prior to the Appalachian, LNJ Foxwoods’ Fancy Dress Party ran her unbeaten streak to four with a victory in the 34th running of the $150,000 Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, The Mackem Bullet covered the mile on a turf course rated as soft in 1:39.31.

An Irish-bred daughter of Society Rock (IRE) out of the Trade Fair (GB) mare Elkmait (GB), The Mackem Bullet remained in the U.S. with Ward after finishing sixth in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs for her European trainer, Brian Ellison.

Today’s victory was worth $120,000 and increased her earnings to $305,358 with a record of 10-3-2-2.

Catch a Thrill led the field of 11 through fractions of :24.14, :49.21 and 1:14.72 with The Mackem Bullet in closest pursuit. Once in the stretch, The Mackem Bullet shot past and had more than enough left to hold off Regal Glory.

The Mackem Bullet returned $15.20, $6.80 and $4.60. Regal Glory, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $4.60 and $3.20 with Princesa Carolina finishing another 2¼ lengths back in third under Brian Hernandez Jr. and paying $4.40 to show.

Hard Legacy finished another three-quarters of a length back in fourth and was followed in order by Winning Envelope, Primela (FR), Catch a Thrill, favored Clause, Angel Alessandra, Naughty Joker and Beautiful Ballad.

Fancy Dress Party Stays Perfect with Beaumont Victory

In the Beaumont, Fancy Dress Party went to the front out of the gate and turned back challenges first from favored Feedback and then from Mother Mother to prevail by a head.

Trained by Ben Colebrook and ridden by Luis Saez, Fancy Dress Party covered a sloppy Beard Course distance of 7 furlongs, 184 feet in 1:28.18.

A Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate, Fancy Dress Party is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Munnings out of the Matty G mare The Schvagen. The victory was worth $90,000 and increased her earnings to $222,405.

Fancy Dress Party also picked up 10 qualifying points toward the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Her current total is far below the current cut line of 50 to make the race, which is limited to the top 14 point earners that pass the entry box.

Fancy Dress Party led the field of five through a first quarter-mile in :22.57 and was joined on the turn by Feedback to her outside through a half-mile in :45.55.

Mother Mother joined the fray in the stretch from the inside and passed Feedback but never could get by the winner.

Fancy Dress Party returned $7.40, $3.20 and $2.20. Mother Mother, ridden by Florent Geroux, returned $3.20 and $2.20 with Feedback finishing another 1¼ lengths back in third and returning $2.20 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.

It was another 10¼ lengths back to Another Time in fourth with Iva trailing the field.

Racing resumes Wednesday with an eight-race program that begins at 1:05 p.m. ET.

Quotes from the $200,000 Appalachian (G2)
Presented by Japan Racing Association

Wesley Ward (winning trainer of The Mackem Bullet [IRE])

“She’s really done well here over the winter. I always thought she’d probably prefer the grass. She had a beautiful breeze here last week over the grass. There was a little question mark about the surface today but I spoke to (previous) trainer Brian Ellison in England twice and he assured me she’d be OK, and she was.

“When Brian sent her to me, the idea was to go back to the (English One Thousand) Guineas (G1), so we’ll have to see what they want to do. I’m lucky they chose me to train her.”

Tyler Gaffalione (winning rider)

“We had a perfect trip. She broke sharp and put herself right in the race. The speed went on and we sat second. I had a ton of horse going all the way around. When we turned for home, I (tapped) her on the shoulder once and she kicked on. She was just cruising out there.”

Jose Ortiz (rider of runner-up Regal Glory)

“I saved a lot of ground. The post position (nine) hurt us a little bit. She was outside and broke even with the field, so I had to go wide on the first turn or take back and save ground. I decided to take back, and she relaxed well and made a good run turning for home.”

Brian Hernandez Jr. (rider of third-place finisher Princesa Carolina)

“The trip was good. We were able to save some ground around the first turn. They ended up going the second quarter really slow, so we got in the race in the middle part and she finished well.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. (rider of eighth-place finisher and beaten favorite Clause)

“I got a good trip. I really don’t think my filly liked the soft turf. I think we can throw this race out.”

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