Society Rock filly The Mackem Bullet sparkles in stateside Grade 2 contest

As rain pelted Keeneland on Sunday afternoon, trainer Wesley Ward made a long-distance call.

His filly, The Mackem Bullet, was entered in the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association, and Ward found himself slightly concerned about her ability to handle the soft turf.

"There was a little question mark about the surface today," Ward said, "but I spoke to her previous trainer Brian Ellison in England twice, and he assured me she'd be okay, and she was."

As it turns out, Ward's worries were unfounded. The weather proved little hindrance to the three-year-old daughter of Society Rock who stormed home in deep stretch to score the first stakes win of her career.

Since arriving in Ward's barn last fall, The Mackem Bullet has struggled to find her footing on North American turf. After six starts in the United Kingdom for trainer Ellison, she made her stateside debut in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs last November, finishing sixth to Newspaperofrecord.

Sent to Turfway Park for her next start, The Mackem Bullet bounced back to take a one-mile allowance optional claiming race on the all-weather track in December but just missed the board to finish fourth in her 2019 debut in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes in February.

Back on turf for the Appalachian, The Mackem Bullet was guided to run second behind the break and pressed the pace. Catch a Thrill took the early lead to set fractions of :24.14, :49.21, and 1:14.72 through six furlongs.

Angled out from her spot on the rail, Catch a Thrill lost ground and gave way as The Mackem Bullet, guided by Tyler Gaffalione, moved three wide on the far turn and took command. Kicking home in the stretch, Regal Glory made a hard drive down the centre of the lane, issued a late challenge, but did not have enough left in reserve to pose a serious threat.

The Mackem Bullet crossed the wire one and a quarter lengths clear. The final time for the one-mile turf test was 1:39.31.

"We had a perfect trip," Gaffalione said. "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."

Last out Sweetest Chant runner-up Regal Glory finished second, two and a quarter lengths ahead of Princesa Carolina in third. Hard Legacy took fourth, followed by Winning Envelope, Primela, Catch a Thrill, Clause, Angel Alessandra, Naughty Joker, and Beautiful Ballad.

"She's really done well here over the winter," said Ward, who indicated a likely next course for the filly would be a return trip across the pond. The filly finished a close second to Fairyland in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in September before shipping to the US.

"I always thought she'd probably prefer the grass," Ward said. "She had a beautiful breeze here last week over the grass. When Brian sent her to me, the idea was to go back to the 1,000 Guineas, so we'll have to see what they want to do. I'm lucky they chose me to train her."

Owned by Katsumi Yoshida, The Mackem Bullet was bred in Ireland by Tally-Ho Stud out of the Trade Fair mare Elkmait. The mare did not have a reported foal in 2017 but has an unnamed Mehmas yearling filly on the ground.

The Mackem Bullet was purchased as a yearling for just £9,000 from the consignment of Tally-Ho to the Goffs UK Silver Yearling Sale.

She improved her record to three wins, two seconds and two thirds from ten starts, with $305,358 in earnings.

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