Keeneland Meet Begins With Money at Stake

Keeneland begins its 16-day spring meet today with a lot of money on the line. The daily average for purses will be about $650,000, a North American record.

The opening-day feature is the $150,000 Transylvania, a Grade III for 3-year-olds at one mile on the turf.

Dubleo, a son of Southern Halo, is the one to beat for trainer Todd Pletcher. The dark bay has five wins and a second in six starts on the grass. John Velazquez will ride.

The field of nine also includes California shipper Chattahoochee War. A son of War Chant owned by John Amerman and trained by Bobby Frankel, Chattahoochee War has won two of four on the grass at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita. Jerry Bailey will ride.

Rafael Bejarano, who led the fall meet with 26 victories, has mounts in all nine races on the card, including Guillaume Tell in the Transylvania and Caught Inthe Zip, a son of City Zip, who will compete in the first 2-year-old race of the meet.

Race of the day: Razik, a 10-year-old Dayjur gelding, will be looking for his sixth consecutive victory in today’s first at Santa Anita. A five-length winner on Sunday, Razik is wheeled back quickly by trainer Mike Mitchell, who took the veteran for $10,000 for owners G Racing and Carl Van Burger. The 5 1/2 -furlong race for $12,500 claimers opens a card that begins at 3 p.m.

One for the road: Import should improve his second time out for trainer Michael Dickinson in today’s fifth at Gulfstream Park after breaking slowly in his bow March 20. Joe Bravo will ride the 3-year-old Gone West colt for owner Robert Evans in the $32,000 maiden race at 1 1/2 miles on the turf.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Memogram in the third, Yankelevitz, Minister Blair, Remo, Ed Said and Make Mine Vodka in the fourth and Absolutely Unreal, Shirley Jean and Wishing For You in the fifth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/192. Money: Previous day/meet total: $9/$1,065. Total money bet: $1,288.