A better-than-50 percent chance of showers on Friday threatens to dampen the Keeneland turf a little for the $150,000 Transylvania (G3) for three-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, but it surely won’t be as soft as the going Henley’s Joy and The Black Album encountered in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs.
Those two and others comprise a competitive field of 11. Henley’s Joy could be one of the favorites returning to the grass after finishing 10th in the Risen Star (G2). Aside from his run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), where he finished 13th, the son of Kitten’s Joy has been admirably consistent with three wins and two seconds. The Black Album finished eighth in the Juvenile Turf in his first start in the U.S. Now with Rodolphe Brisset, The Black Album had previously captured the Prix la Rochette (G3) at Longchamp.
Stakes winner Louder Than Bombs has earned minor awards in his last four, two of which came against Henley’s Joy. Splitting those two in the $75,000 Pulpit at Gulfstream in December was Life Mission, who makes his first start since that run here.
First or second in all four starts, Onthewaytonevrland also returns to the turf following a 3 1/2-length score in the $75,000 Rushaway on Turfway Park’s Polytrack. Trainer Wesley Ward has also entered Hawaiian Noises, who took the $50,000 Animal Kingdom on the same March 9 card.
Dunph makes his turf debut after losing the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) by only four lengths. Avie’s Flatter was a dominating winner of the Cup and Saucer at Woodbine on yielding ground last fall, while War Film, a regally-bred son of Declaration of War and the classy mare Film Maker, returns to the site of his debut win following a Fair Grounds allowance score.
