Favored Catch a Glimpse Captures Thursday’s G3 Appalachian at Keeneland

LEXINGTON, KY (April 14, 2016) – Gary Barber, Michael Ambler and Windways Farm’s Catch a Glimpse justified her 3-5 favoritism by posting a three-quarter length victory over Ava’s Kitten to win the 28^th running of the $125,000 Appalachian (G3) Presented by Japan Racing Association for 3-year-old fillies before a Thursday afternoon crowd of 9,846.

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Florent Geroux, Catch a Glimpse covered the mile on a firm turf course in 1:37.27. The victory was worth $75,000 and increased Catch a Glimpse’s bankroll to $842,562 with a record of 6-5-0-0.

Now undefeated in five starts on the turf and recently named the 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year, Catch a Glimpse rated just off the pace set by Recognition and Princess Princess, who led the field of 10 through early fractions of :23.37, :47.86 and 1:12.88. On the far turn, Geroux sent Catch a Glimpse after the leaders and quickly assumed command and opened a daylight advantage.

Ava’s Kitten, who had tracked in just behind Catch a Glimpse in the early running, tried to mount a bid in the stretch but could not seriously threaten the winner.

A 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale graduate, Catch a Glimpse is a Kentucky-bred daughter of City Zip out of the Irish River (FR) mare Halo River. Halo River won the 1998 running of the Appalachian, establishing the stakes record of 1:34 3/5.

Catch a Glimpse returned $3.20, $2.40 and $2.20. Ava’s Kitten, ridden by Javier Castellano, returned $4.80 and $3.40 in finishing a half-length in front of Outsider Art, who paid $9.20 to show under Drayden Van Dyke.

Spinamiss (IRE) finished another 1¾ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Auntie Joy, Princess Princess, Felt in Pocket, Dothraki Queen, Baciami Piccola (GB) and Recognition.

The $300,000 Maker’s 46 Mile (G1) highlights a 10-race program Friday that begins at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Maker’s 46 Mile will go as the day’s ninth race with a 5:30 p.m. post time.

Quotes from the $125,000 Appalachian (G3)

Norm Casse (assistant to his father, Mark Casse, winning trainer of Catch a Glimpse)

On how she is maturing as a 3-year-old
“She’s always going to be a flighty filly in the paddock, maybe misbehave with the pony and those type of things. That’s just her. As far as her maturity as a racehorse, she is progressing very nicely. (Jockey) Florent (Geroux) can let those longshots go (to the lead), and she’ll relax for him. She’s becoming a better racehorse.”

On her next race
“We’ll see how she looks in the morning and see how she trains. There’s a race at Churchill for her Derby Week called the Edgewood (G3), and hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to run her there in front of that crowd.”

Florent Geroux (winning jockey)
“Everything worked out good. Looked like on paper there was a couple of horses with speed right inside me, so I had nothing to worry about. Everything went good. She relaxed very good down the backside. When I asked her to go, she gave me a very nice turn of foot.

“Sometimes at the end (of a race), she gets a little bit bored. She does it so easily that sometimes she switches back and forth – left lead, right lead – but I think it’s just because she’s not really paying attention because no one is really challenging her.

“She proved she was the best today.”

Javier Castellano (rider of runner-up Ava’s Kitten)
“I thought I was going to (win). Perfect trip. I rode a good, good race to beat (Catch a Glimpse), but she’s a champion filly. She won the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Fillies Turf-G1), beat every horse and we were just second-best today. My filly ran so well. I just couldn’t go by.”

Drayden Van Dyke (rider of third-place finisher Outsider Art)
“She broke like a rocket. I was watching Catch a Glimpse and she got the ideal trip. I was just trying to get second or third. Another sixteenth of a mile may have made a difference.”

Jonathan Sheppard (trainer of Outsider Art)
“We are very happy with her race. Those were two nice fillies in front of her.”

John Velazquez (rider of fourth-place finisher Spinamiss [IRE])
“I had a great trip. I just didn’t have the horse to stay there.”

Keeneland