Translyvania Take Two

Originally scheduled as Keeneland’s opening day feature Apr. 3, the GIII Transylvania S. will instead highlight Wednesday’s card after lightning and heavy rains forced the Lexington oval to cancel the last half of their opening day card. Though the field has gone from 13 to seven in the interim, the 1 1/16-mile test for sophomore turf runners retained three of its top original contenders. Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred Luck of the Kitten (Kitten’s Joy) gets the morning-line nod this time around. Graduating at second asking 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, the Wesley Ward pupil set the pace, but was caught late by stablemate Hootenanny (Quality Road) and had to settle for second. The colt’s Breeders’ Cup pilot Mike Smith makes the trip east from California to ride. 

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.