Transylvania Stakes (Grade 3)- $600.000 Purse
KEE- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf
April 4, 2025

A big turf race took place on Friday in the running of the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at KEE, and some rain came in to affect the track just enough for it to be downgraded to “good” status. That would not be a problem for Big Blue, a horse that ran in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint last fall and was stretching out for the first time. There was every reason to believe that he would have no issue with the increased distance, based on his works, and that’s how it would play out here this afternoon. He would go off as the second choice on the board and similarly was among our picks but not the top choice. This gelding by Supercomplication is trained by Mb Stables, who wins the Transylvania Stakes for the fourth time, and was ridden by T Gaffalione, who is now a first-time winner of the race. The time of the win was 1:41.10. This was the third year in a row that the race was run on an off track. Let’s take a look at it:

(1/4 Mile- :23.32)- Out of the gate, there were a few of them that looked like they would get the upper hand, but from the outside, Full Access is determined to get that spot and gets that field cleared by a length for the opening turn, for his trainer, Mb Stables. They are three wide behind him, and the horse on the outside of this, the Our Athletes- trained Western Knight, has a head in front of our eventual winner of the race, Big Blue, who is on the rail for Mb Stables. Situated right between them is Bigchief Stables’ Extravagant. Man In A Box is a length behind them in fifth for Nakamura Stables, and it’s another length to Avignon (Riggins Racing) and Like A Hurricane (TwinTowersRacing), who run evenly with one another. Post time favorite Bear Head (Martyparty) is next, but don’t worry about him, he’s usually near the back early. Trailing the field are Fourth Estate (High Voltage) and Minding Q (Mb Stables).

(½ Mile- :47.12)- There is no change in the action as the field heads down the backstretch. Full Access is the race leader, and the three stalkers (Western Knight, Big Blue, and Extravagant) are positioned in the same manner. With little new to report, let’s move on.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- At the top of the turn, the action would intensify rather quickly. Making his move first would be Western Knight, looking to beat the other two stalkers to the punch and pounce on the leader Full Access. However, T Gaffalione saw that move, and was not going to waste any time asking Big Blue for more run, and Extravagant would do the same as well. Now, Full Access was under siege, and at the top of the stretch, he had fallen to third, with Extravagant soon to go by as well, and coming along nicely on the rail, Man In A Box was making effective progress. Like A Hurricane was also cutting into his deficit, and Bear Head was hitting his best stride from further back and was only about two lengths from the leaders himself. Avignon may have been lacking response, but Minding Q, a horse that dug himself quite a hole early on, was running very well now. Fourth Estate is now the trailer.

(Finish- 1:41.10)- Down the stretch they come, and it’s Big Blue putting a head in front early on as he gets by Western Knight but his work is certainly not done. While it seemed like he would hold off both Full Access and Extravagant, his bigger concerns now were Man In A Box, who was making gradual progress on the rail, and Like A Hurricane who had a clear lane in front of him. Bear Head was getting closer but had to do so on the far outside. Big Blue was full of run, and most definitely not looking like a horse that had never run more than five and a half furlongs before this race. He’d run gamely all the way to the wire, and while Bear Head did all he could, he would have to settle for second on this day. Western Knight hangs on for third over the late running Minding Q. Man In A Box seemed destined for much better but fizzled out late and settles for a fifth-place dead heat with Extravagant. Rounding it out, it’s Like A Hurricane, Fourth Estate, Full Access, and Avignon.

About The Winner- Big Blue, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by T Gaffalione, is a three-year-old gelding by Supercomplication and is out of Infinite Wisdom. He was bred in California as a yearling by Fractious and was acquired by Mb Stables in the September 2024 auction for $15.500. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fourth in seven starts, second stake win, and first graded win. His career earnings are now $522.800.

Track: Good
Time: :23¹  :47  1:11¹  1:41

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 5 Paid 18.20
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 5 – 7 Paid 45.00

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES