Transylvania

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Ten sophomores will contest Keeneland’s opening-day feature, the $150,000
Transylvania S. (G3), and the one-mile turf event surprisingly contains a
Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful in SEDGEFIELD (Smart Strike). The versatile colt
exits a runner-up finish in the Lane’s End S. (G2) on the Polytrack after
distinguishing himself on the turf, but we’ll try to beat the classy chestnut.

U D GHETTO (Honour and Glory) will make his second start of the year for
Anthony Reinstedler, who is winning at a 29 percent clip in 2007, and the bay
gelding indicated his readiness for his turf debut with a five-furlong bullet in
:59 1/5 on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Winner of the Kentucky Cup Juvenile S.
(G3) last year, U D Ghetto opened his sophomore campaign with a fifth in the
Rebel S. (G3) behind the brilliant Curlin (Smart Strike), and he’ll get blinkers
on while breaking from an inside post. His sire, Honour and Glory, has thrown some
nice turf horses, and his broodmare sire, Silver Hawk, is an excellent source of turf
prowess. U D Ghetto will attempt to lead all the way under Corey Lanerie.

Sedgefield broke his maiden on the Polytrack at Turfway and then finished an
excellent second in the grassy Tropical Park Derby (G3). Following an allowance
win over the grass at Gulfstream Park, he finished a close second to Twilight
Meteor (Smart Strike) in the grassy Hallandale Beach S. Sedgefield was dismissed
at 12-1 in the Lane’s End, but he ran a big race to be a clear second behind
Hard Spun (Danzig), recording a career-best 103 BRIS Speed rating. He’ll wheel
back rather quickly off a 13-day break, and we question how much that effort
will take out of him. Sedgefield liked the turf in South Florida, but he looks a
little vulnerable at short odds in his first start over the Keeneland turf.

MARCAVELLY (Johannesburg) has Bill Mott in his corner, so he could be ready
to go in his first start of the year, but he will have to overcome post 7 in the
10-horse field. The Kentucky-bred captured the Continental Mile S. at Monmouth
Park in his second career outing and then finished second to eventual champion
filly Dreaming of Anna (Rahy) in the Summer S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine. Marcavelly
hasn’t started since finishing second in the Bourbon S. over the Polytrack at
Keeneland in October, and we can make a case for giving him a race. However, the bay
colt remains a promising three-year-old turf runner for Mott this season.

IN JEST (Dynaformer) exits a smart 6 1/4-length maiden special weight win in
his career debut, taking a 1 1/16-mile turf test at Tampa Bay Downs, and it’s
interesting to note that the Jonathan Sheppard trainee was bet down in that
spot. The Pennsylvania-bred hails from an excellent family and could turn out to
be any kind, but he is taking a huge leap in class here. In Jest may also prefer
a little more ground. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him run big and will use
In Jest on the bottom of the exotics.

EVERYMAN (Silver Deputy) picks up the services of Keeneland expert Julien
Leparoux and is trained by the very capable horseman Graham Motion, but he’ll
step up in class off an entry-level allowance score at Tampa and drew the far
outside post. The late runner will attempt to make his presence felt in the
stretch in his stakes debut. COBRADOR (El Prado [Ire]) opened his racing career
on the grass in Chicago and finished a good third, one spot back of Twilight
Meteor, in a Keeneland turf allowance last October. He’s raced exclusively over
the Polytrack since then for Paul McGee, once at Woodbine and twice at Turfway,
but none of those efforts were very encouraging. He could show more returning to
the turf, but we’ll just watch to see.

Maiden ROYAL WAR ACADEMY (Royal Academy) likes to hit the board (four
second-place efforts), but he’s stepping up in class here. CAJUN MON (Jambalaya
Jazz) will make his turf debut off a couple of sprints at Turfway Park. There’s
little to indicate that he’ll turn things around here. CODEWORD (Ire) (Dansili
[GB]) wasn’t competitive in most of his European races last year, and we’ll give him one
in his first U.S. appearance. LURE MY DAISY (Lure) looks overmatched.