First World War, last seen winning the Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T), returns April 5 in the Transylvania Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland. The $400,000 race is 1 1/16 miles and features a field of 12 3-year-olds.
"He's been doing well. We just backed off a little bit after the Kitten's Joy just to freshen him up for the spring," said trainer Brendan Walsh. "He's been working away on the grass down at Palm Meadows and all went well. We worked him on the turf at Keeneland on Saturday; he worked really nice. He's going into (the Transylvania) in pretty good shape."
Walsh is happy with the draw, which will have the son of War Front break from post 6.
Bred by Skyfall Thoroughbreds and owned by Qatar Racing and Hunter Valley Farm, the dark brown colt has finished first or second in all but one of his five career starts (2-2-0), with a fourth in last year's Bourbon Stakes (G2T). The two seconds—an allowance optional claimer and the Mucho Macho Man Stakes—were a change for First World War as they were dirt races.
But the Transylvania, like the Kitten's Joy, is on the more familiar turf.
"He seems like he runs well all the time. So you know, hopefully we get a good trip on Friday. I'm sure he'll be right there if he does," said Walsh.
Making his North American debut is Musical Act. The Godolphin homebred is trained by Charlie Appleby and is coming off a two-race stint in Dubai. Most recently, the Dark Angel gelding ran second in the Jumeirah Classic at Meydan Racecourse.
Stepping into graded company is Guy Named Joe. The son of American Pharoah has six top-three finishes since a fifth on debut. He broke his maiden to cap his 2-year-old campaign and has been rounding into form since.
Also worth watching are Lord Bullington and Full Nelson.
Keeneland, Friday, April 5, 2024, Race 8Entries: Transylvania S. Presented by Keeneland Select (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Oscar's World (KY) Luis Saez 118 Brian A. Lynch 12/1 2 2Guy Named Joe (KY) Luan Machado 118 Doug F. O'Neill 5/1 3 3Lagynos (KY) Cristian A. Torres 118 Steven M. Asmussen 20/1 4 4Neat (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 118 Rob Atras 10/1 5 5Tennessee (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 118 Brad H. Cox 15/1 6 6First World War (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Brendan P. Walsh 4/1 7 7Lord Bullingdon (KY) John R. Velazquez 118 Michael W. McCarthy 8/1 8 8Musical Act (IRE) Lanfranco Dettori 118 Charles Appleby 9/2 9 9Depiction (KY) Joel Rosario 118 Cherie DeVaux 15/1 10 10Can Group (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Mark E. Casse 12/1 11 11Full Nelson (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Jose Francisco D'Angelo 8/1 12 12Cugino (KY) Javier Castellano 118 Claude R. McGaughey III 10/1 13 13Royal Majesty (GB) Junior Alvarado 118 William I. Mott 10/1 14 14Camaro Z (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Gregory D. Foley 12/1
Lafayette Stakes
Earlier in the card is the $400,000 Lafayette Stakes, a seven-furlong test for 3-year-olds on dirt.
Favored is Booth. The Kentucky-bred son of Mitole was purchased by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Jackpot Farms for $225,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the Ocala Breeders' March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Now with Whispering Oaks Farm as part of the ownership team, Booth aims for his third win in four starts.
He broke his maiden in dynamic fashion, leading almost from start to finish, winding up more than five lengths ahead of Nash last October. He came back to run a distant fifth to Just Steel in the Ed Brown Stakes. Booth returned to action in a Feb. 11 allowance optional claimer showing the form from his maiden, winning by 4 1/4 lengths.
Joining Booth is Doncho, an undefeated son of Mo Town . Having won both of his starts by at least 4 1/2 lengths, Doncho has shown a knack for running near the front. The question he has yet to have the opportunity to answer is how he responds if he falls behind the likes of Booth, Scatify, and Iowa-bred Glengarry, who all like to set the pace early.
All but one of the runners in the Lafayette have never run a seven-furlong race. The lone exception is Baytown Chatterbox, who is 1-for-3 at the distance.
Keeneland, Friday, April 5, 2024, Race 6Entries: Lafayette S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Frosty Indulgence (KY) Adam Beschizza 118 Christopher Davis 20/1 2 2Scatify (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 John W. Sadler 7/2 3 3Doncho (KY) Cristian A. Torres 118 Michelle Lovell 5/2 4 4Baytown Chatterbox (KY) Albin Jimenez 118 Paul McEntee 50/1 5 5Booth (KY) Joel Rosario 118 Steven M. Asmussen 9/5 6 6Glengarry (IA) Luis Saez 118 Doug L. Anderson 8/1 7 7Who Dey (OH) John McKee 118 Thomas Drury, Jr. 6/1 8 8Bolt At Midnight (KY) Luan Machado 118 Robert Medina 12/1
