IN THE GOLD (Golden Missile) and ASPEN TREE (Holy Bull), the second- and
third-place finishers in the recent Bonnie Miss S. (G2), will meet again in
Thursday’s $250,000 Beaumont S. (G2). Five-time stakes queen PUNCH APPEAL
(Successful Appeal) is the most accomplished member of a small five-horse cast
assembled for the about seven-furlong test, which will decided over the Beard
Course at Keeneland.
HOT STORM (Stormy Atlantic) is another top contender off a third in the
Forward Gal S. (G2) last out. The Dallas Stewart-trained bay captured the
Sunshine Millions Oaks two starts back at Santa Anita.
The complete field, from the rail out with jockeys, is Aspen Tree, Javier Castellano; BROOKE’S HALO (Southern Halo), Victor Espinoza; In the Gold, Rafael
Bejarano; Hot Storm, Jerry Bailey; and Punch Appeal, John Velazquez.
Hot Storm and Punch Appeal both carry 119 pounds, the rest 117.