One of the heaviest favorites on Breeders’ Cup weekend last fall was Winter
Memories, the regally-bred gray who entered the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 2) undefeated off a 5 1/4-length waltz in the Miss Grillo
S. (Grade 3). Humbled at even-money into second place, two lengths behind More
Than Real (More Than Ready), Winter Memories will seek to avoid a similar
upset when facing 11 others in Thursday’s $100,000 Appalachian S. (Grade 3).
The Appalachian, a one-mile grass test for three-year-old fillies, kicks off
the stakes action this week at Keeneland, where racing is shortened to four days
due to the Easter holiday on Sunday.
Winter Memories was based in the barn of trainer Jimmy Toner at Palm Meadows
over the winter and has turned in a lengthy string of works, including six
between March 11 and last Friday. Assigned the services of Jose Lezcano and the
co-highweight at 123 pounds, Winter Memories is out of Memories of Silver, who earned her signature win on the Keeneland turf in the 1996 Queen
Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Grade 1).
Also sporting 123 pounds is New Normal, the speedy winner of the Natalma
S. (Grade 3) who failed to show early foot from a wide post in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and finished eighth. Also unraced
since that trip over the Churchill Downs grass, the Mark Frostad pupil worked
consistently at Palm Meadows over the winter and scorched a bullet half-mile
upon her arrival at Keeneland last week.
A pair of fillies with famous family connections could make an impact while
rising in class for the Appalachian. Ruthenia went undefeated in two
starts last October including a three-quarters of a length score in the Good
Mood S. at Belmont Park. She is a full sister to Grade 1-winning millionaire Rutherienne, who took the Jenny Wiley S. (Grade 2) during several trips to Keeneland.
Another undefeated from two outings is Smart Sting, a daughter of champion
turf mare Perfect Sting, who was a two-time stakes
winner at Keeneland but only third in the 1999 renewal of the Appalachian. Smart
Sting was a debut winner at Woodbine by a nose in October and tuned up for this
with a 1 1/2-length allowance victory at Gulfstream last month.
Moving back to turf for the Appalachian is Harlan’s Ruby,
who graduated on the Mellon turf at Saratoga before running second in the
Alcibiades S. (Grade 1). Her two starts this season have both been on Polytrack, a
win in the Valdale S. at Turfway and a distant second in the Bourbonette Oaks
(Grade 3) over the same track.
Others of note include Parting Words, a rough-trip seventh
in the Herecomesthebride S. (Grade 3) last out; turf maiden winner Fast Tip, who
captured a dirt allowance at Fair Grounds most recently; dual grass winner My
Redbyrd; and the first-level allowance eligibles Diva Ash
and Artisanal.