Three Diamonds Farm's Field Pass held off Street Ready by a nose to win Sunday's 32nd running of the $100,000 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) for 3-year-olds at Keeneland on closing day of the Lexington, Ky., track's five-day summer Thoroughbred meet.
Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Field Pass covered the 1 1/16 miles on a turf course labeled good in 1:42.56.
Juggernaut led the field through fractions of :23.33, :47.76 and 1:12.45 with Fancy Liquor and Street Ready in closest pursuit and Field Pass saving ground in fifth.
In the stretch, Fancy Liquor pushed to the front but was joined at midstretch by Field Pass on his outside. Those two were immediately joined by Street Ready, who ducked to the inside under Chris Landeros. The trio dueled to the wire with Field Pass barely prevailing.
The victory, the fourth stakes triumph and second Grade 3 win for Field Pass, was worth $60,000 and increased the colt's bankroll to $418,610.
Field Pass is a Maryland-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid out of the Runaway Groom mare Only Me.
Sent off as the favorite in the field of 10, Field Pass returned $6.40, $4.40 and $3.60. Street Ready paid $12.60 and $7.60 and finished a neck ahead of Fancy Liquor, who paid $5.20 to show under Florent Geroux.
It was another half-length back to City Man, who was followed in order by Spanish Kingdom, Bama Breeze, Irish Mias, Vintage Print, Kinenos and Juggernaut.
In partnership with Keeneland, sponsor Kentucky Utilities has provided $7,500 in matching funds to support God's Pantry Food Bank and Nourish Lexington, two programs that are teaming to provide meals to those in need in Lexington during the current COVID-19 outbreak.
Keeneland is a proud founding partner of Nourish Lexington, which uses the skills and talents of displaced hospitality employees to prepare and serve these meals. Since its inception on April 1, Nourish Lexington has served more than 80,000 meals.
God's Pantry is critical to Nourish Lexington because many ingredients for meals are from the food bank.
To support this effort, please click here.
Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Quotes
Ricardo Santana Jr.: “He was sitting behind the speed, perfect. Turning for home, I took him out. He got in the clear and started running. Every time he saw those two horses on the inside he kept fighting.”
Mike Maker: “This horse loves to win. He's all heart. As Ricardo said, he never really doubted (Field Pass) would win. When he thought he was getting the lead, he started kinda backing off. When he felt the pressure, he dug back in.”
Will he get better in longer races for 3-year-olds? “I think so. We're gonna find out.”
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