Big Score Scores in Transylvania

George Krikorian's homebred Big Score overtook pacesetting longshot Holiday Stone in the dying strides to take the

GIII Transylvania S. by 3/4 lengths on the opening-day card at Keeneland Friday. Holiday Stone set the pace through fractions of :23.92 and :48.48 as favored Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy) was a close-up third while racing along the rail. Oscar Performance had room to rally as Holiday Stone came off the rail in upper stretch, but the favorite couldn't muster a challenge and Holiday Stone opened a clear advantage. His lead was short-lived as Big Score, who had raced just off the early pace, found a seam to run through at midstretch and surged past the longtime leader to win going away.

“I had a wonderful trip,” reported winning jockey Javier Castellano. “I really like the way he did it today–very relaxed, very comfortable, good rhythm all the way through the race. I kept track of the pace. The way he did it was phenomenal.”

The result wasn't a surprise to winning trainer Tim Yakteen.

“We were expecting a strong effort, but until you run you never know,” Yakteen said. “He's a good horse. I'm really happy for George. He stands Mr. Big, and this is a big start for him.”

As for what is next for Big Score, Yakteen added, “We're going to look at Churchill [the May 6 GII American Turf] most likely next. First we're going to digest this and then come up with our next move.”

Oscar Performance, making his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, faded to fifth.

“No real excuses,” trainer Bryan Lynch said of the beaten favorite. “He settled in nicely behind. The pace was not real quick and the rail opened up when it needed to but he just did not quicken. He could have gotten tired. He was working on a much faster turf course at Palm Meadows. Maybe he was not as tight as I thought he would be.”

Big Score, a first-out maiden winner over the Del Mar turf last July, was second in the Sept. 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf before annexing the Oct. 10 Zuma Beach S. He was making his first start since finishing fifth in the Nov. 4 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Pedigree Notes:

George Krikorian purchased Big Score's dam Not Unusual for $67,000 at the 2007 Barretts October Yearling Sale. Big Score is her third foal and third of four straight by Mr. Big. The mare produced a filly by Mucho Macho Man last year and was bred back to Mr. Big. Krikorian campaigned Mr. Big and stood the stallion at his farm in Kentucky before he was relocated to E.A. Ranches in Ramona, California for the 2016 breeding season. From just 16 foals of racing age, Mr. Big is also the sire of the ill-fated graded stakes placed Big Book. Out of graded stakes placed Fashion Delight (Fappiano), the stallion is a half to graded stakes winner Magnificience (Stormy Atlantic).

Friday, Keeneland
TRANSYLVANIA S. PRESENTED BY KEENELAND SELECT-GIII, $150,000, KEE, 4-7, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.23, gd.
1–@BIG SCORE, 123, c, 3, by Mr. Big
1st Dam: Not Unusual, by Unusual Heat
2nd Dam: Fly First Class, by General Meeting
3rd Dam: Laura's Jet, by Wajima
O/B-George Krikorian (KY); T-Tim Yakteen; J-Javier Castellano.
$90,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $237,800. Werk Nick
Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Holiday Stone, 118, c, 3, Harlan's Holiday–Lucifer's Stone, by
Horse Chestnut (SAf). ($180,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Jim &
Susan Hill; B-Nesco II Limited (KY); T-George Weaver. $30,000.[bullet ad=”dromoland-bredbornraised”][bullet ad=”equix-selection”]3–Makarios, 118, c, 3, Giant's Causeway–Blissful, by Mr.
Prospector. ($200,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Mossarosa;
B-Commonwealth (KY); T-Nicholas P. Zito. $15,000.[bullet ad=”lynwood-stable-graduate”][bullet ad=”fourstar-salesgrad”]Margins: HF, 1, 3/4. Odds: 10.20, 34.50, 38.50.
Also Ran: Ticonderoga, Oscar Performance, Cowboy Culture, Sonic Boom, Profiteer. Scratched: Dahog.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.