To Sender Will Run at Keeneland

Keeneland will begin its 15-day spring meet today and the main event on the card is the $150,000 Transylvania, a Grade III at one mile on turf.

The likely favorite in the race is a 3-year-old familiar to local fans. To Sender, who won two races on the Santa Anita grass this year, will try for his fourth victory in five starts for owner-breeder Juddmonte Farms.

Trained by Bobby Frankel for his two most recent victories, including a 1 1/2 -length victory in the Pasadena on March 18, To Sender, a son of King’s Best, will be accompanied by regular rider Alex Solis. To Sender will carry topweight of 121 pounds.

The Transylvania will also mark the 2006 debut and first turf start for Dawn Of War.

Idle since finishing far back in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Oct. 29 at Belmont Park, Dawn Of War will be ridden by Rene Douglas. The Catienus colt, who has won three of seven for owner-breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Dale Romans, scored his biggest victory at 36-1 in the Breeders’ Futurity on the Keeneland main track Oct. 8.

Race of the day: Behaving Badly, who is arguably the best female sprinter in the country, will try for her fourth consecutive win in the $83,000 Bug Brush today at Santa Anita. Victor Espinoza will ride the 5-year-old Pioneering mare for trainer Bob Baffert in the 6 1/2 -furlong race. The Bug Brush is the second on the first of three special twilight cards with a 3 p.m. first post. There will also be a 3 p.m. post on the last two Fridays (April 14 and 21) of the meet.

One for the road: Viv’s A Player gets a confident boost in class after being claimed for $16,000 on March 25 and can spring an upset in the fourth at Gulfstream Park. Eddie Castro remains with the 3-year-old Successful Appeal filly as she jumps to the $30,000 level and stretches to a mile.

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Exotically speaking: A place pick all using Gold Bankers Gold in the first, Behaving Badly in the second, Run To The Border and Master Heat in the third, Manyouk in the fourth, Drastic Tactics and Katies Mark in the fifth, Boston Direct in the sixth, Kelly Mac and Great Opinions in the seventh and Papa Squirrel and The Beaumont Band in the eighth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 1/214. Money: (previous day/meet total): $2.80/$1,236.60. Total money bet: $1,258.