He came into the race off a fourth-place finish in an allowance race over Turfway Park’s Polytrack, but Transduction Gold took to the switch back to turf and an increased distance when he powered home in the $150,000 Sycamore Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) at Keeneland Oct. 5.
Trained by John Glenney -- who, with Kim Glenney, owns 4-year-old Transduction Gold -- the homebred Formal Gold gelding was the upset winner in the Sycamore. The race was clearly expected to go to George Arnold trainee Big Prairie, but the favorite never figured in the field of 10.
"(Jockey) James (Graham) went over the way he had ridden at the Fair Grounds (March 10), and he looked awesome that day," John Glenney said of Transduction Gold's fourth-place finish in the Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap. "But it's hard to win a race on the front end going a mile-and-a-half, so I said, 'If you think you can rate this guy, then go for it.'"
Under Graham, Transduction Gold raced well at the back of the pack as Flight Captain and Bee Charmer set early fractions of :26.89 and :52.92. Silver Whistle raced in third, while Dreadnaught ran fourth. As the field ran three-quarters in 1:18.72, Bee Charmer took the lead and Transduction Gold moved up to fifth. As the field turned for home, Graham swung the gelding out to the middle of the track and sent him after Bee Charmer in a vigorous stretch drive. Running the 1 1/2 miles in 2:31.96, Transduction Gold nipped the frontrunner by a neck. Dreadnaught was third, while Silver Whistle finished fourth.
One of Glenney’s eight horses currently in training at Keeneland, Transduction Gold now has a 4-2-1 record from 16 career starts.
He had not won a race since Dec. 2, 2006, when he took a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at the Fair Grounds by four lengths. Glenney said the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) may be an option as the gelding's next start.
"We'll take it day by day," he said.
Transduction Gold returned $33.80, $15.40, and $13.20 to win, while Bee Charmer (IRE) paid $13.80 and $8.40 to place and Dreadnaught brought $5.
(Chart, Equibase)