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Transient takes the Powder Break July 15 at Gulfstream Park (Lauren King)
By Tim Wilkin for Kentucky Downs
FRANKLIN, Ky.— Trainer Saffie Joseph already knows that his 5-year-old mare Transient can handle Gulfstream Park.
Now he wants to find out how she does at Kentucky Downs.
The daughter of Sea the Stars, owned by Bob Edwards’ e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, is shipping north to run in the 12th running of the Grade 3, $1 million Aristocrat Ladies Marathon on Saturday at the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs.
Saturday’s 12-race card will feature six graded stakes races worth a total of $6.7 million.
Transient, who will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, has already proven herself running long distances. She has raced twice at 1 ½-miles, getting nipped by a neck in the Grade 3 LaPrevoyante Stakes on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream and finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes on April 1. She will be asked to run 1 5/16-miles in the Ladies Marathon.
In her last start, she won the Powder Break Stakes at a mile and 70 yards at Gulfstream on July 15.
“She is in good order,” Joseph said outside his barn at Kentucky Downs. “Hopefully, that last race sets her up well for this race.”
Transient has one win in four starts this year with a second and a third. For her career, she has three wins, three seconds and four thirds. In 10 starts on turf, she has two wins, two seconds and two thirds.
This will be her first start at Kentucky Downs.
“This is a unique course,” Joseph said. “You never know if they are going to handle it until you try it. She is a good moving horse, and you think those are the kind of horses that will be able to handle it better than horses that stop in their action.”
Joseph is off to a good start at the seven-day meet. Through three days of racing, he has two wins, a second and two thirds in eight starts.
Last year, he finished third in wins with five from 21 starters. He said he hopes to have more horses enter the starting gate this year.
“It’s a kick to win anywhere,” he said. “It’s different here. The purses are huge, and the setting makes it so much fun. Anyone that comes here, enjoys it. We are going to run as many as we can here. The hardest part is getting in because everyone wants to run here. You have to get in and then hope to win.”
