Night Prowler Rushes to Transylvania Score
Image:
Description:
It looked like a two-horse battle coming down to the wire in the $100,000 Transylvania Stakes (gr. IIIT) April 15 at Keeneland, with Luck of the Kitten fighting gamely over Saham in the final furlong.
But Paul Pompa Jr.'s Night Prowler was lurking back in third, and unleashed a furious rally down the center of the course to get up by a neck in a final time of 1:44.03 on soft turf . The race initially was scheduled for April 3 but was one of four races that afternoon postponed by inclement weather.
Night Prowler, a 3-year-old Giant's Causeway gelding, earned the second grade III victory of his six-race career for trainer Chad Brown, having captured the Jan. 3 Dania Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) with another sparkling rally at Gulfstream Park before running fifth in the March 7 Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Tampa Bay Downs in the outing before the Transylvania.
Javier Castellano, in the irons for all but one of Night Prowler's starts, had his mount in a good tracking position behind even-money favorite Luck of the Kitten, who led Saham by a length through opening fractions of :24.31, :49.10, and 1:14.78.
"I had a beautiful trip. I really liked the way he did it," Castellano said. "He's got a great kick in the last part of the race, so I was really fortunate. I had a lot of trouble in his last race. He got covered up, and I didn't find any seam (to run through). I was very fortunate today. He was able to work it out."
In his first start since finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. I), Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Luck of the Kitten was determined in his battle against Saham, who attempted to go by him coming off the final turn. Luck of the Kitten withstood that charge, and appeared to be the winner, before Night Prowler blew on by.
"He ran great," Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith said of the pacesetter. "I don't think he ever really saw the horse that beat him. The other horse (Saham) was laying on him pretty hard, and he got all caught up in that."
Off at odds of 8-5, Night Prowler returned $5.20, $2.40, and $2.20. Luck of the Kitten paid $2.20 and $2.10, while Saham, who earned the first stakes-placing of his career, brought $2.40. Top of the Page and Majestico completed the order of finish. Tuba and A Lot scratched.
Bred in Kentucky, Night Prowler was consigned to the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March sale of selected 2-year-olds in training but failed to meet his reserve price on a final bid of $190,000. His dam is Pompa's multiple graded stakes winner Mary's Follies, by More Than Ready . His record now stands at three wins and two thirds from six starts, with earnings of $184,695.