Shakhimat Tops Transylvania at Keeneland

Shakhimat, among the early favorites for Canada's Queen's Plate this year, tops the nine-horse field that will contest the Transylvania Presented by Keeneland Select (gr. IIIT) on the April 8 opening-day card at Keeneland Racecourse.



The $100,000 Transylvania, at 1 1/16 miles on turf, is one of 16 stakes—14 graded—scheduled for the 16-day meet that concludes Friday, April 29. Post time is 1:05 EDT daily, except April 9 and 16 when first post is 12:35 p.m. There is no racing on Mondays and Tuesday.



Owned by RGH Bloodstock and Dan Gale and trained by Roger Attfield, Shakhimat is a Sovereign Award finalist in the 2-year-old male division following his juvenile campaign in which he broke his maiden and finished third in the Cup and Saucer Stakes before obliterating the 10-horse field in the Coronation Futurity, both at Woodbine. Ridden by regular rider Emma-Jayne Wilson, the 3-year-old son of Lonhro cruised on the front end to win by 9 3/4 lengths in a hand ride. Wilson is back in the irons for the Transylvania.

Paul Pompa Jr.'s Converge, a New York-bred son of Sidney's Candy   trained by Chad Brown, is a late closer who rallied six-wide in upper stretch to break his maiden against state-breds at first asking at a mile over Belmont Park's turf course last September. The colt employed a similar running style to finish well, 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Mountain Music Man in the Awad Stakes.



In his 2016 debut, Converge benefited from a ground-saving trip from Javier Castellano aboard for the first time to close strongly on the inside to defeat Giant Run by three-quarters of a length in the Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park at the same distance as the Transylvania. Brown has said the long-range goal with Converge is the Belmont Derby (gr. IT) in July. Castellano returns Friday as Converge is the 123-pound co-topweight in the Transylvania.

Also toting 123 pounds is J R Racing's J R's Holiday, a Harlan's Holiday colt trained by Jose Garrofalo to win three of nine starts. The colt took a while to get going and took the turf quite well, finishing second in his turf debut and then and breaking his maiden in his fifth career start and second effort on grass.

He has subsequently won the Kitten's Joy Stakes at a mile on grass on Gulfstream Park before making a late bid to be fourth, only 1 1/2 lengths behind Converge, in the Palm Beach.

L T B Inc. and Hillerich Racing's One Mean Man broke his maiden on turf at Ellis Park last summer in his first start and then was winless, although placed twice, in seven subsequent starts before winning the Keith Gee Memorial at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots for trainer Bernie Flint. He returned to finish second in the Black Gold Stakes in his last start.



The rest of the field consists of 3-year-olds with maiden wins to their credit, including Doug O'Neill-trained Sorryaboutnothing. Placed first via disqualification in his second start, the son of Repent was moved up in company to finish seventh in the Los Alamitos Futurity (gr. I). Eighth in a grade III stake to begin 2016, the colt held a stalking position throughout to be third in the Pasadena Stakes in his turf debut. He races for Fog City Stable, RAP Racing, and ERJ Racing.



The most expensive entrant is Woodford Racing's Cataplut, a son of Kitten's Joy   purchased at the Keeneland September yearling sale for $350,000. In his lone career start for Chad Brown, Catapult won a $75,000 maiden special weight at Belmont Park last October.