Amerman Racing's Chattahoochee War found himself in a battle coming down the stretch in the $150,000 Transylvania Stakes (G3) on opening day at Keeneland Race Course on Friday.

With Rey de Café on the rail, Chattahoochee War on the outside and Guillaume Tell (Ire) sandwiched between the pair in deep stretch, the trio engaged in a ferocious, head-bobbing battle to the wire in front of a raucous crowd of 15,811—the largest ever for a Friday opening in the spring at Keeneland.

At the finish, Chattahoochee War's head bobbed forward when it counted, hitting the line a nose ahead of Guillaume Tell with Rey de Café a neck back in third. Favored Dubleo, who dueled for the lead down the backstretch, finished fourth in the field of eight three-year-olds.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano, aboard Guillaume Tell (Ire.) lodged a claim of foul against Jerry Bailey and Chattahoochee War as the two had bumped in tight quarters near the end. The stewards, however, took only a few minutes to declare the race official.

"He's still really green," Bailey said of his bay son of War Chant, who covered one mile on a firm Keeneland turf course in 1:35.28. "That other horse came out and hit us, and that made him aggressive. I think that made the difference in the race."

Trained by Bobby Frankel, Chattahoochee War, who was bred in Kentucky by Edmund J. Loder, was made his first start outside of Southern California in the Lafayette. He won in his career debut at Santa Anita Park, then went across town to Hollywood Park to finish fourth to Dubleo in the Generous Stakes (G3) in November.

Back at Santa Anita, he opened his three-year-old season with a stakes victory in the Hill Rise Stakes before finishing fourth in the Pasadena Stakes on March 19.

"I guess I did the right thing bringing him here," Frankel said after the race. "This was a Grade 3 for $150,000, and the other spot I picked was just a listed race for $100,000. It's a great thrill to win at Keeneland, especially with the first horse you run at the meet."

The winner's share of $93,000 increased Chattahoochee War's earnings to $175,821. He has yet to miss a check with his three wins and two fourth-place finishes in five starts.

Chattahoochee War is the first foal out of the Sri Pekan mare Buffalo Berry (Ire.), a graded winner in both Ireland and the United States. The Amermans bought Chattahoochee War for $250,000 at Keeneland's 2003 September Yearling Sale.

See chart, courtesy of Equibase at http://www.equibase.com