AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS
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TRANSYLVANIA S. (G3), 8TH-KEE, $150,000, 3YO, 1MT, 4:45 P.M. EDT, 4-7 |
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| 1 |
CHIN HIGH, 3, c, by Smart StrikeDamie’s Sis, by Sunny Clime O-Ike Thrash; B-Sun Valley Farm (Ky) |
| 2 |
TO SENDER (GB), 3, c, by King’s Best—Return, by Sadler’s Wells O-Juddmonte Farms; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB) |
| 3 |
TOMPEST, 3, c, by Storm CatKistena (Fr), by Miswaki O-Wertheimer & Frere; B-Wertheimer & Frere (Ky) |
| 4 |
LE PLAIX (FR), 3, c, by KingsalsaLa Victoria, by Anabaa O-Stromboli Farm; B-Jean Pierre Joseph Dubois (Fr) |
| 5 |
WHERETHEWESTBEGINS, 3, c, by Gone WestSweet Eloise, by Sky Classic O-Pin Oak Stable LLC; B-Pin Oak Stud LLC (Ky) |
| 6 |
UNBRIDLED BEHAVIOR, 3, c, by Unbridled’s SongBelle Nuit, by Dr. Carter O-Dennis G Haines; B-Franks Farms Inc Louis Brooks Ranch Limited (Ky) |
| 7 |
IN A FLASH (IRE), 3, c, by Night ShiftBelle de Cadix, by Law Society O-Dorean Tabor; B-Knocktoran Stud (Ire) |
| 8 |
DAWN OF WAR, 3, c, by CatienusHillary Step, by Chimes Band O-Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (Ky) |
| 9 |
INDIAN HAWKE, 3, c, by Indian CharlieGeorgialina, by Affirmed O-Donald F Flanagan; B-Joseph Mangine & Theresa Mangine (NY) |
| 10 |
READILY, 3, c, by More Than ReadyAlarmada, by Darn That Alarm O-J B Clancy Mark Osbourn & William D Glass; B-Brilliant Stables, Inc. (Ky) |
| 11 |
YATE’S BLACK CAT, 3, c, by Black MinnalousheDazzle, by Slewacide O-Crawford Jerry Wachtel Stable & Brous St; B-Gallagher James P. (Ky) |
Friday’s opening day feature at Keeneland, the $150,000 Transylvania S. (G3),
has drawn an overflow field of 11 sophomores, with 10 to go postward. The
logical choice to take this one-mile turf contest is the Bobby Frankel-trained
TO SENDER (GB) (King’s Best), the 6-5 morning line favorite, but there could be
value aplenty in the exotics.
Although we tend to have a contrarian streak, we see no reason to oppose To
Sender in this spot. The Juddmonte homebred has captured both of his American
starts and exits a sharp victory at this distance in the Pasadena S. at Santa
Anita, earning a 96 BRIS Late Pace rating. When based in England as a juvenile, To
Sender broke his maiden in his debut, defeating the highly regarded Ivan Denisovich (Danehill), who subsequently landed a Group 2 and placed in a Group
1. In his only other outing last year, To Sender disappointed as the favorite in
the Coventry S. (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot at York, finishing 12th. He’s certainly
gotten over whatever was ailing him then, and with his royal pedigree suggesting
he’ll improve further, we look forward to a big effort. Under regular rider Alex
Solis, he figures to get a good stalking trip.
LE PLAIX (Fr) (Kingsalsa) looms intriguing at morning line odds of 12-1. The
Michael Matz pupil had creditable form as a two-year-old in France last season,
placing behind the classy Mauralakana (Muhtathir [GB]) and Queensalsa (Kingsalsa).
In his lone U.S. start in the Hallandale Beach S. at Gulfstream Park this
February, he faded to 11th. We’ll write off that effort, considering that he was
coming off a five-month layoff with only four published works. Since
then, he’s trained forwardly, including a bullet five-furlong move at Palm
Meadows. Tellingly, he gets a rider switch to Edgar Prado, and he shapes up as a
live longshot.
TOMPEST (Storm Cat) will attract plenty of attention because of his
connections — the potent Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez team. A Wertheimer family
homebred with a strong pedigree, the gray colt won his only turf outing, the 5
1/2-furlong Chenery S. at Colonial Downs last summer. In his sophomore debut,
he captured a 6 1/2-furlong allowance on the main track at Gulfstream, doing
well to race inside a riderless horse and register a 97 Late Pace rating.
Pletcher has a 23 percent strike rate when transferring from dirt to turf, and
considering that Tompest is eligible to improve in his second start back, he’s a prime contender.
The Patrick Biancone-trained IN A FLASH (Ire) (Night Shift) won an allowance
on Turfway Park’s Polytrack, posting a 97 Speed figure, before winding up a
troubled ninth in the Rushaway S. The formerly English-based colt should enjoy
returning to the turf and merits consideration for the exotics. Hot rider Julien
Leparoux has the call.
It’s notable that trainer Bill Mott is entering WHERETHEWESTBEGINS (Gone
West), who’s only got a maiden win at Gulfstream on his resume. That kind of
move from a cautious horseman bespeaks confidence. Interestingly, the
third-place finisher in that maiden race was the Dale Romans-trained YATE’S
BLACK CAT (Black Minnaloushe), the also-eligible entry here, who was just
deprived of a maiden victory via disqualification at the South Florida oval.
Romans’ first-stringer is last year’s Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner DAWN OF
WAR (Catienus), who will be trying the turf for the first time as well as making
his sophomore debut. His natural early speed, likely eagerness after a layoff,
as well as a recent bullet half-mile work in :46 1/5, all reinforce the idea
that he’ll be winging it on the front end early. All of those factors make us
doubt his chances to win, but he deserves respect for having the highest career
Speed figure (98) in the field.
READILY (More Than Ready) from the Greg Foley barn has never raced on the
turf, but judging by his sire’s propensity to get good grass performers, he
could show a lot more on this surface. He’ll need to raise his game considerably
to compete in this group, based on the Speed figures he’s been recording on
Turfway’s Polytrack. UNBRIDLED BEHAVIOR (Unbridled’s Song) is taking a big step
up in class from Tampa Bay Downs. Ditto for INDIAN HAWKE (Indian Charlie), whose
five career starts have all come in New York-bred company on the dirt at
Aqueduct, and CHIN HIGH (Smart Strike), last seen breaking his maiden at
Evangeline Downs.