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Alwajeeha scores in Appalachian Shadwell Stables' homebred ALWAJEEHA (Dixieland Band) was sent off the co-third choice at nearly 5-1 in Wednesday's $125,000 Appalachian S. (G3) at Keeneland, but ran like a favorite while scoring a determined head victory. Mrs Petoski (Orientate) shot out of the gate from her far outside post when the doors opened and took the lead going into the first turn with jockey Joe Bravo. Setting tepid splits of :24 2/5, :49 2/5 and 1:14 1/5 while racing down the backside, she maintained her advantage through the second turn and into midstretch. By that point, however, Alwajeeha had hit her stride under John Velazquez and swept past. It wasn't an easy win, as Sweepstake (Ire) (Acclamation) and I Lost My Choo (Western Expression) were also running hard down the lane, but the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee proved too much for her rivals, gutting out the head victory while finishing a mile on the firm turf in 1:37 1/5. "She's a super filly," said Neal McLaughlin, brother and assistant to Kiaran McLaughlin. "I want to congratulate Rich Nichols (of Shadwell Stable) for talking to Kiaran. We decided to scratch her out of a race last week and run in the stakes today. He was right, she's a stakes filly. We're going to have a lot of fun with her this year." Alwajeeha paid out $11.80, $6.20 and $4.40 to her faithful backers while keying the $70.60 exacta, $224.40 trifecta and $6,057.80 superfecta (9-6-1-10). Sweepstake managed to get her nose down on the line before 5-2 favorite I Lost My Choo, returning $6.20 and $3.80 as the 9-2 second pick. Show was worth $3. Vancy Pants (Van Nistelrooy) followed in fourth, with Namaste's Wish (Pulpit), Much Obliged (Kingmambo), Absolutely Cindy (Arch), Lickety Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid), Mrs Petoski and Fashion Rocks (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) completing the order under the wire. Magger Bags (Indian Charlie) was withdrawn while Fareena (Point Given), the other also-eligible, didn't draw in. Alwajeeha took two tries to break her maiden, finally scoring by 1 1/2 lengths over Aqueduct's turf, then returned two months later to make her stakes and sophomore debut in the Tropical Park Oaks. She was second that day after rallying from well back, then filled that same spot last out in a Gulfstream Park allowance going 1 1/16 miles on good grass. The Kentucky-bred miss earned her first stakes win here and now boasts $137,760 in earnings to go along with her 5-2-2-0 mark. Alwajeeha is the second registered foal out of the winning Ridaa (Seattle Slew) and has an unraced juvenile half-sister named Tahfeez (Aljabr). The bay lass is from the same female family as champion handicap mare Straight Deal (Hail to Reason); Grade 1 winners Desiree (Raise a Native), Adored (Seattle Slew), Qualify (Danzig) and Scorpion (Seattle Slew); and sires Belong to Me (Danzig) and Skipaslew (Skip Away).
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