Mi Bago Leads Likely to be Rain-Impacted Transylvania

The 3-year-olds on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail will take center stage at Keeneland in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) April 5, but one day prior on April 4, the turf and sprint division 3-year-olds will have their chance in the spotlight—if the spotlight can shine through the storm clouds.

Lexington is forecast to experience rain showers and thunderstorms April 2-6, putting a damper on Keeneland’s highly anticipated opening weekend. What that means for a race like the $600,000 Transylvania Stakes (G3T) is to be determined. An overflow field has been entered for the 1 1/16-mile race scheduled for the turf course. Nine of the 12 runners in the body of the field have never run on a turf course rated less than firm.

Three of the runners have raced over a “good” turf course once: Gary Barber’s Mi Bago  won the five-furlong Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine by a neck; West Point Thoroughbreds, David Ingordo, and CJ Stables’ Reagan’s Wit  broke his maiden by eight lengths at the 1 1/16-mile distance at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots; and Gold Square’s Hammerhead  debuted on a good course finishing sixth, beaten three lengths, at Saratoga Race Course.

Should the Transylvania come off the turf, three of the four also-eligibles have raced exclusively on dirt. Both Pretty Capable  and Valentinian  exit maiden victories at the 1 1/16-mile distance.

Eddie and Pat Greco, Scott Jaffe, Michael Cloonan, and Vaccarezza Racing’s Golden Afternoon  should perform well irrespective of the surface for trainer Nick Vaccarezza. The Goldencents   gelding was runner-up in Keeneland’s Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at the same course and distance last fall and ran a solid fourth, beaten just 2 1/2 lengths, over a sloppy Fair Grounds dirt track in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) Jan. 18.

Mrs. Fitriani Hay’s Clock Tower  has hit the board in two dirt maiden races to start his career, a third over good dirt and a second over fast dirt. He most recently ran a fading fourth in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park Feb. 1 after failing to make the lead for the first time in six starts. He seems to be his best on turf for trainer Wesley Ward, winning two of three starts with a grade 3 win and grade 2 placing.

Mi Bago again pops up as a versatile option having broken his maiden on dirt at Colonial Downs and winning an off-the-turf Dania Beach Stakes over Gulfstream Park‘s synthetic surface Jan. 1. The son of Vekoma   trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse has won three straight listed stakes in wire-to-wire fashion. 

Other top contenders in the main field are three-time stakes winner Chasing Liberty , last-out stakes winners Scipio  and Tom’s Magic , dual grade 3-placed and last-out maiden winner Sabertooth , and dual stakes-placed Test Score  and Maui Strong .

Colloquial Tries Lafayette After Impressive Maiden Win

One race prior, eight sophomore sprinters will line up for a $400,000 seven-furlong contest on dirt in the Lafayette Stakes.

The highly-regarded Colloquial  ran a sensational 117 Equibase Speed Figure in his maiden-breaking 3-year-old debut at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 7 for owners Harrell Ventures and Starlight Racing. The George Weaver trainee won the 6 1/2-furlong race by seven lengths over a good dirt track, making him one of just two entrants to have raced over a non-fast track.

The other is Smoken Wicked , who broke his maiden by 7 1/2 lengths going 4 1/2 furlongs on a sloppy track at Evangeline Downs in June. The grade 2-placed son of Bobby’s Wicked One   is a two-time Louisiana-bred stakes winner at six furlongs for Valene Farms and trainer Dallas Stewart.

Also in the field are Gulfstream Park stakes winners Gate to Wire  and Rolando , plus the twice-raced talented 3-year-old Gunmetal .