An intriguing field of 13 sophomore colts will line up for Keeneland's opening day feature, the GIII Transylvania S. to be contested at 1 1/16 miles over the turf course. Anstu Stables colorbearer Eh Cumpari (Elusive Quality) enters off a
6-1 upset in Gulfstream's turfy GIII Palm Beach S. run at the same distance Mar. 7. Capturing his career bow in an off-the-turfer at Aqueduct Nov. 8, the dark bay was a non-factor ninth in that venue's GII Remsen S. Nov. 29. The Michael Dilger pupil was fifth to recent GIII Spiral S. hero Dubai Sky (Candy Ride {Arg}) while making his turf debut in Hallandale's Kitten's Joy S. Jan. 24 prior to his win in the Palm Beach.
Also exiting the Palm Beach is third-place finisher Divisidero (Kitten's Joy), owned by Gunpowder Farm LLC and trained by Buff Bradley. The lightly-raced bay came charging late with a six-wide rally to capture his 1 1/16-mile turf debut at Gulfstream Feb. 7, and employed similar tactics to be third by just three-quarters of a length in the Palm Beach.
The always dangerous Hall of Fame team of Bill Mott and John Velazquez join forces here with A Lot (Tapit). A second-out graduate when switched to the turf at Belmont Sept. 28, the Amerman Racing Stables runner was fourth next time over that course in the Awad S. Oct. 26. Second to Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway) in Gulfstream's GIII Dania Beach S. Jan. 3, the bay overcame a bump at the start to return to his winning ways last time in a grassy one-mile optional claimer in Hallandale Feb. 22.
Owned by Paul Pompa Jr., Night Prowler earned his diploma at second asking on the Belmont sod Oct. 17 and was third by just a head next time in Gulfstream Park West's Pulpit S. Nov. 29. Charging late to earn a half-length victory in the Dania Beach, the Chad Brown trainee was a head scratching fifth last time in the Palm Beach.
It's not a turf stake without a Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred, and the Eclipse winning owners/breeders are represented in this one by the Wesley Ward-trained Luck of the Kitten (Kitten's Joy). Breaking through second time out on the Arlington lawn Aug. 16, the chestnut finished second in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile S. Sept. 6 and wired the field next time out in Santa Anita's grassy Zuma Beach S. Oct. 5. Remaining in Arcadia for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Oct. 31, Luck of the Kitten set the pace, but was caught late by stablemate Hootenanny (Quality Road) and forced to settle for second. The sophomore, who most recently fired a five-panel bullet in :59 2/5 at Turfway Park Mar. 24, gets the blinkers off for this seasonal bow.
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