Scarlett Sky Shines in Keeneland's Transylvania

Late-running Scarlett Sky  didn't catch any pace in Keeneland's opening-day Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3T) April 2, but he didn't need any. 

Stuart Janney III's homebred Sky Mesa   colt passed all five rivals in the final furlong of the 1 1/16-mile, $150,000 turf contest, outkicking 10-1 shot Palazzi  by a half-length. Even-money favorite Fire At Will , winner of last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Presented by Coolmore America (G1T) at Keeneland, settled for third, another half-length behind.

There was no apparent excuse for Fire At Will, who went to the front with easy fractions of :24.63, :49.83, and 1:14.32, seemingly in control. But when asked to accelerate away from the field in the stretch by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, he could not.

Instead, Palazzi and Scarlett Sky cut into his lead and pounced in the final furlong. The winner raced 1 1/16 miles on a good turf course in 1:43.89 under Joel Rosario, paying $7 as the third betting choice.

"I knew they weren't going very fast. In the first turn, I wasn't far away from (the leaders)," Rosario said. "I just let him get his feet into the ground, and he came with a strong run like he always does. He put in a good finish.”

The Shug McGaughey trainee notched his first stakes victory in the Transylvania, which followed a close runner-up finish in the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park Feb. 27. He now has a record of 3-3-0 in seven starts with earnings of $210,400.

McGaughey and Janney won their second Transylvania after a victory in 2011 from Air Support . McGaughey indicated he thought Scarlett Sky would like the Keeneland course.

"I told Joel, 'Just be careful. He'll try to hang a little bit,' " McGaughey said of their pre-race conversation. "That's probably why he was back a little farther than usual to make that one quick run."

McGaughey noted the American Turf (G2T) on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) undercard at Churchill Downs May 1 would be a race to consider for an upcoming start, as well as a series of turf races this year in New York, where McGaughey is based.

The first leg of the New York Turf Triple Series is the $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) July 10. 

Transylvania runner-up Palazzi , winner of the Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston Race Park and third in the Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, rallied between horses down the lane but was simply outkicked by Scarlett Sky.

Following third-place Fire At Will across the finish line were Barrister Tom , Earls Rock , and Breadman .

The winner, bred in Kentucky, is the first stakes winner and the second overall winner out of the Arch mare Mata Mua . The dam also has an unnamed yearling filly by Ironicus   and foaled a Runhappy   filly earlier this year.

Chasing Artie Also Produces Last-to-First Rally in Palisades Turf Sprint

About an hour before the Transylvania Stakes, 3-year-old turf horses of a different variety—the short-distance kind—took to the Keeneland course in the $100,000 Palisades Turf Sprint Stakes.

Though the race was short, over just 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass, winning the race was Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Chasing Artie , who uncorked a powerful late kick under Rosario after a slow start to catch stablemate Fauci . The outcome gave trainer Wesley Ward a 1-2 finish.

"He just moved a little in the gate and missed the break, but he came back with a strong run in the end," said the winning jockey.

Unitedandresolute  ran third, two lengths behind Fauci and 3 3/4 lengths behind Chasing Artie.

Ward speculated the slow start might have worked out for Chasing Artie after hot fractions of :21.76 and :45.36 were set by longshot Lock Up . The winner, who didn't take the lead until late, was timed in 1:03.46. 

"I was watching both my horses—they ran great. It almost set up for (Chasing Artie) because that (slow start) happened," Ward noted. "Joel said once that happened he took him back a little further, hoping that the pace went fast up front. It did. He wheeled him, and we saw another dimension of running style."

Bred in Kentucky, Chasing Artie is a gelded son of We Miss Artie  out of the Kitten's Joy   mare Frisky Kitten . He is the first foal from his dam, who also has a 2-year-old full sister to the winner named A Word From Artie.