Field Pass Validates Owner's Decision in Transylvania
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Field Pass (outside) wins the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland
The connections of Field Pass made a last-minute change in plans that paid off when the 3-year-old Lemon Drop Kid colt edged Street Ready in the $100,000 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T) on the turf course July 12 at Keeneland.
Owner Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Mike Maker reported that they would opt to run the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner in the July 18 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course, but early Sunday they announced he would instead take on the Transylvania field of nine others.
Juggernaut went to the lead in the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds, followed by Fancy Liquor and Street Ready. Juggernaut set fractions of :23.33 and :47.76 through the first half-mile and continued to lead into the stretch before abruptly fading to last.
Meanwhile, Field Pass was tucked in along the rail in fifth until jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. guided him to the outside during the final turn and advanced on the leaders. In the stretch, a wall of horses made their run to the wire, but Field Pass prevailed by a nose over Street Ready. Fancy Liquor finished a neck behind for third.
"He was sitting behind the speed, perfect," Santana said. "Turning for home, I took him out. He got in the clear and started running. Every time he saw those two horses on the inside he kept fighting."
The final time on the turf labeled good was 1:42.56.
"This horse loves to win. He's all heart. As Ricardo said, he never really doubted (Field Pass) would win" Maker said. "When he thought he was getting the lead, he started kinda backing off. When he felt the pressure, he dug back in."
Bred in Maryland by Mark Brown Grier, Field Pass is the third foal out of the Runaway Groom mare Only Me.
The colt broke his maiden as a 2-year-old at Saratoga, outrunning a field that included subsequent grade 1 winner Decorated Invader and Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner Enforceable. He then placed second in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) in his stakes debut. He won his first start of 2020 in the Feb. 1 Dania Beach Stakes going a mile on turf at Gulfstream Park just before his score in the Jeff Ruby.
After placing third in the War Chant Stakes at Churchill Downs, Field Pass came into the Transylvania off a score in the June 20 Audubon Stakes at the Louisville oval.
He paid $6.40 to win at odds of 2-1.