Saham Ready for Rescheduled Transylvania

As the rain came down Tuesday morning at Keeneland, trainer Brendan Walsh could only look on with a wry smile.

He trains Saham, who on Wednesday is slated to make his stakes debut in the $100,000 Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select going 1 1/16 miles over what figures to be a soft turf course, which would be a first for him.

“He’s kind of been through the wringer,” Walsh said of the Lemon Drop Kid colt, who is owned by Sultan Bin Mishal.

Saham made his grass debut two starts back and was favored in a field of 11 at Gulfstream Park, but ducked in at the start and dropped jockey Corey Lanerie.

“It was very frustrating for that to happen. It set him back a little bit but he came back fine,” Walsh said. “You never know what will happen when they gallop around there. I had never worked him on the grass but the Lemon Drop Kids really like the grass.”

Three weeks later, Saham broke his maiden with Paco Lopez aboard to earn a shot at the Transylvania, initially scheduled for opening day April 3. However, inclement weather forced postponement of the day’s final four races that included the Transylvania.

“I think the extra week to 10 days have helped him,” Walsh said of Saham, who worked a half-mile on the main track April 5. “It is a short field tomorrow but I know Wesley (Ward with Luck of the Kitten), Chad (Brown with Night Prowler) and Bill (Mott with A Lot) are in there and hopefully we can make a case for him too.

“A soft course is not a concern, because this course drains well.”

Saham is nominated to the $250,000 American Turf (G2) to be run May 2 at Churchill Downs, but the time frame might be too snug for Walsh.

“He looks like the kind of horse that will need some time between races,” Walsh said. “We will see how it goes, but there are tons of races out there for him.”

UPCOMING STAKES PROBABLES

$250,000 Dixiana Elkhorn (G2) (Entries taken Wednesday, race on Saturday, April 18) – Aldous Snow, Biz The Nurse (IRE), Cozy Kitten, Dynamic Sky, Holiday Star, Java’s War, My Afleet, Reflecting, Unitarian. Possible: Smooth Stone.

$150,000 Bewitch (G3) (Entries taken Tuesday, April 21, race on Friday, April 24) – Caroline Thomas, Danza Cavallo (FR), Meri Shika (FR), Samiam, Super Sky.

BATTAGLIA DISCUSSES MORNING LINE FOR KENTUCKY DERBY

Mike Battaglia, Keeneland’s longtime odds maker and handicapper, shares his thoughts on making the morning line for this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).

ROOD & RIDDLE NAMED OFFICIAL EQUINE HOSPITAL
OF BREEDERS’ CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Breeders’ Cup on Monday announced that Lexington’s Rood & Riddle, one of the world’s leading equine veterinary practices, has been named the Official Equine Hospital of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and Title Sponsor of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Post-Position Draw.

This year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 13 Grade 1 races and $26 million in purses and awards, will be held for the first time at Keeneland on Oct. 30-31.

The Rood & Riddle Breeders’ Cup Post-Position Draw will be held at Keeneland on Monday, Oct. 26. The draw will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, drawing of 11 Breeders’ Cup races, will be held in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion at 1 p.m. ET.

The Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) will be drawn later that afternoon in the Bourbon Lounge chalet at Keeneland.

“Rood & Riddle has a firmly established outstanding reputation of excellence as leaders in the equine medical field, and we are very pleased that they are supporting this year’s Breeders’ Cup as an official partner and sponsor of the Post-Position Draw,” Breeders’ Cup President and CEO Craig Fravel said. “With intense interest focused in the Bluegrass region for the first ever Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, we are also very excited that the draw will the first gathering of horsemen and the community among the great festivities planned during Breeders’ Cup week.”   

“Rood & Riddle is very pleased to partner with Breeders’ Cup as the Title Sponsor of the Post-Position Draw and as Official Equine Hospital of the Breeders’ Cup Championships,” said Dr. Tom Riddle, co-founder of Rood & Riddle. “It is especially exciting for us to join with Breeders’ Cup in its first year to be held in Lexington, our hometown.”

Since 2003, Rood & Riddle has sponsored Keeneland’s Dowager (G3) during the Fall Meet.

Source: Keeneland Association