Zayat Stables’ Macias, a three-time stakes winner at Santa Anita, and owner-trainer Wesley Ward’s Strike the Tiger, a stakes winner on grass in England and the United States, headline a field of nine 3-year-olds entered Tuesday for Friday’s 22nd running of the $100,000 Transylvania Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
The Transylvania goes as the ninth race on Friday’s 10-race card that has a first post time of 1:05 p.m. (EDT). The Transylvania serves as the opening-day centerpiece of the 15-day Keeneland spring meeting that features 16 stakes, 15 of them graded with four Grade 1′s. The meet runs through April 23 with racing Wednesday through Sunday with the exception of April 4, Easter Sunday.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Macias won the John Goodman last fall and the Baffle in February on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface and also won the Eddie Logan at a mile on the turf in late December. Alan Garcia has the mount on Macias, who will break from post position seven and carry 117 pounds.
Strike the Tiger broke his maiden at first asking last April at Churchill Downs and then seven weeks later made his turf debut a memorable one by taking the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot. Returning to the U.S., Strike the Tiger won the Chenery Stakes at Colonial Downs in July. John Velazquez, who was aboard for the triumph at Ascot, has the riding assignment Friday and will exit post position four on Strike the Tiger, who carries 117 pounds.
Ammerland Stud’s Nordic Truce, undefeated in two career starts, both on the grass, will carry high weight of 123 pounds under conditions of the race. Winner of the Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park on January 16 in his most recent start, Nordic Truce will break from post position two under Julien Leparoux for trainer Christophe Clement. Leparoux was the winning rider in last year’s Transylvania aboard Darley Stable’s Stormalory.
The field for the Transylvania, from the hedge out, is as follows: Call Shot (Corey Nakatani, 117 pounds), Nordic Truce (Julien Leparoux, 123), Celtic New Year (Victor Lebron, 117), Strike the Tiger (John Velazquez, 117), King Ledley (Rajiv Maragh, 117), Lost Aptitude (Robby Albarado, 119), Macias (Alan Garcia, 117), Alfarabi (Kent Desormeaux, 119) and Guys Reward (Javier Castellano, 117).
NEGLIGEE WORKS HALF-MILE IN :49.60 FOR SATURDAY’S CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND
Sovereign Stable’s Negligee completed her major preparations for Saturday’s 73rd running of the Central Bank Ashland (G1) by working a half-mile in :49.60 under exercise rider Charles Rosier on Tuesday morning.
Keeneland clockers caught Negligee in fractions of :13.40, :25.80 and out in five furlongs in 1:02.60.
“She had her major work last week before we left Florida,” trainer John Terranova said of a bullet five-furlong work of 1:00.40 on March 24 at Palm Meadows. “I had her last three eighths in 36 and change, which was fine.”
Negligee has won two of four career starts, highlighted by a victory in last fall’s Darley Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland. She closed 2009 with a sixth-place finish in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita in which she finished 1 ¾ lengths behind eventual champion She Be Wild.
“We had her fit a month ago and she had had a couple of three-quarter works,” Terranova said. “She trains great on the dirt, too, but she really loves this stuff (Polytrack).”
IT’S TEA TIME HAS FINAL WORK FOR STAKES DEBUT
Alex Campbell Jr.’s homebred It’s Tea Time worked a half-mile in company in :50 on Tuesday morning. Keeneland clockers caught It’s Tea Time in fractions of :13.40, :25.40 and out five furlongs in 1:03.60.
“She went well and got over the ground very well,” trainer Rusty Arnold said of It’s Tea Time, who arrived at Keeneland from South Florida last Wednesday.
Arnold said that Alan Garcia would have the mount on It’s Tea Time in Saturday’s Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) in what will be her stakes debut and first start on Polytrack.
“I got her last fall and had her ready to run,” Arnold said. “I entered her in November at Churchill Downs, but she was excluded from the race. I didn’t want to run her at Calder, so I just waited until Gulfstream.”
It’s Tea Time finished second in her debut on January 29 and then broke her maiden going a mile and one-eighth on February 22. Both races were on the grass.
“She’s by Dynaformer out of a turf family, so with that breeding we looked that way to the turf,” Arnold said. “But she has worked well on the dirt.”
Arnold is hoping It’s Tea Time can fill the void in the barn left by the retirement of two-time graded-stakes winner One Caroline.
“She could fill a big hole, but it’s tough to replace one like One Caroline,” Arnold said. “She reinjured herself last fall in the Chilukki (G2) at Churchill Downs and is in foal to Medaglia d’Oro.”
GALLOPING OUT
The prospective field for Saturday’s Central Bank Ashland grew to nine Tuesday morning with the addition of the Phipps Stable’s Protesting. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Protesting posted her only victory in seven starts in a five-length maiden win at Keeneland last fall. Protesting closed 2009 with a runner-up finish in the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct and opened 2010 with two fourth-place finishes in allowance company at Gulfstream Park.
Protesting worked a half-mile Sunday at Gulfstream Park in :47.40, second-best of 44 at the distance, and then shipped to Keeneland on Monday.
Entries for the Ashland will be taken Wednesday. Considered as probable for the race by Keeneland racing secretary Ben Huffman are Apple Charlotte, Beautician, Evening Jewel, It’s Tea Time, Negligee, She Be Wild and Upperline. Considered as possible along with Protesting is Decelerator.
BREAKFAST WITH THE WORKS SERVES UP NEW HOST
G.D. Hieronymus, Keeneland’s Director of Broadcast Services, is the new host of Breakfast With the Works, the popular family-oriented program on Saturday mornings during Keeneland’s racing seasons. Hieronymus succeeds Jim Williams, Keeneland’s longtime Director of Communications, who retired last fall after 38 years at the track.
“I’m going to enjoy it,” said Hieronymus, who first came to Keeneland to watch Spectacular Bid win the 1979 Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and has worked at the track since 2000. “I’ve got big shoes to fill.”
Breakfast With the Works begins at 7 a.m. Hieronymus will present trackside commentary about how Thoroughbreds train and prepare for a race and about Keeneland history, while attendees also might see a champion or a budding superstar in action. The program will include a show and tell about some aspect of racing. On Saturday, the guest is farrier Hans Albrecht, who will explain the different styles of horse shoes. During the program, attendees can enjoy a hot buffet breakfast in the trackside Equestrian Room that is available for $7.50 per person; children 3 and under eat free. The concession stand adjacent to the Eclipse Room will offer a dollar menu that includes coffee, hot chocolate, milk and donuts.
Attendees then can take in a free demonstration in the Keeneland paddock that begins at 8:45 a.m. This Saturday, the featured guest is Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, the therapeutic riding program based at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Williams, who has been at the track the past two mornings to watch horses train and visit with friends, said he had hosted Breakfast With the Works since the 1972 spring racing season. He said his predecessor in the role was the late J.B. Faulconer, Keeneland’s former Public Relations Director.
Breakfast With the Works was the idea of former Keeneland President and board chairman James E. “Ted” Bassett when he began working at Keeneland in the late 1960s.
Hieronymus said the winning formula of Breakfast With the Works would continue.
“The primary objective is to engage young fans and interest them in horses and in Thoroughbred racing-and teach them a little bit about this place,” he said.
KEENELAND OPENS SPRING MEET WITH COLLEGE SCHOLARSHP DAY
Keeneland kicks off the spring meet on Friday, April 2, with the popular College Scholarship Day, which draws thousands of students from colleges and universities in Kentucky and surrounding states.
The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association is a sponsor of College Scholarship Day, which has surpassed $300,000 in scholarship aid at giveaways at Thoroughbred tracks in Kentucky. KTA established its scholarship program in 2000.
Drawings will be held following each of the day’s 10 races for $1,000 college scholarships and grand prizes such as an HP Pavilion Notebook from Best Buy; two $250 vouchers for eCampus textbooks; a $250 spa package from Posh Salon & Spa; RayBan Wayfarers from LensCrafters; a one-year membership to Urban Active Fitness Club; a $150 gift card from John’s Run Walk Shop; a $200 gift certificate to Merrick Inn and box seats at Keeneland.
Admission is free for full-time students, who can register for the day’s drawings at the College Zone in the Grandstand North Terrace. The first 1,000 students to register will receive a free T-shirt courtesy of Hands On Originals.
