Racing

Can Group, First World War Lead Overflow Field for Opening-Day Transylvania Presented by Keeneland Select

D. J. Stable and Cash Is King’s Can Group, winner of last fall’s Castle & Key Bourbon (G2) here, and Qatar Racing and Hunter Valley Farm’s First World War, winner of the Kitten’s Joy (G3) in his most recent start, headline a field of 12 3-year-olds plus two also-eligibles entered Monday for Friday’s 36th running of the $400,000 Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select.

Slated as the eighth race on Friday’s 10-race program, the Transylvania will be contested at 1 1/16 miles over the turf with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Trained by Mark Casse, Can Group followed up his longshot victory in the Castle & Key Bourbon with a fourth-place finish, beaten just 2 lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. After a try on dirt in the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds in January, Can Group returns to the grass Friday and will exit post 10 under Flavien Prat.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, First World War finished fourth as the favorite in the Castle & Key Bourbon. Following two runner-up finishes on the dirt, First World War returned to the grass with a victory in the Kitten’s Joy Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park. Tyler Gaffalione retains the mount and will break from post six.

The field for the Transylvania Presented by Keeneland Select, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Oscar’s World (Luis Saez, 118 pounds), Guy Named Joe (Luan Machado, 118), Lagynos(Cristian Torres, 118), Neat (Rey Gutierrez, 118), Tennessee (Jose Ortiz, 118), First World War (Gaffalione, 118), Lord Bullingdon (John Velazquez, 118), Musical Act (IRE) (Frankie Dettori, 118), Depiction (Joel Rosario, 118), Can Group (Prat, 120), Full Nelson (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118), Cugino (Javier Castellano, 118). Also-eligible: Royal Majesty (GB) (Junior Alvarado, 118), Camaro Z (Brian Hernandez Jr., 118).