Test score produces the best resume for Twilight Derby

Trainer Graham Motion does such a good job sending horses to Southern California for specific stakes that it’s somewhat surprising he hasn’t won an edition of the Twilight Derby (G2T) yet. Movement came close in the Saint Anita turf in 2022 and finished second with Talking scoutand he could earn his first Twilight Derby win this year Test score .

The 1 1/8-mile turf is for three-year-olds and Test Score has by far the best resume of the five competitors. The son of Watching Lucky won the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) on July 4, making him the only Grade 1 winner in the group, and his earnings of $1,328,525 dwarf the totals of the other four.

Leading local rider Juan Hernandez will be on board for the first time – another plus – and the Test Score comes from a racing and breeding program well known to Californians. Jerry Amerman bred the colt and she owns Test Score in partnership with her husband John, under the Amerman Racing banner.

Although Test Score has done most of his racing on the other side of the country, he has made the trip to California before. Last year he came second by just a neck Pursuing freedom in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Sea in only his fourth start of life. This year, Test Score also won the Transylvania Stakes (G3T). Keeneland and placed in three other stakes, including the Kitten’s Joy Stakes, named after his broodmare sire.

Namaron trained by John Sadler, is an intriguing Twilight Derby possibility. The gelding began his career in his native Germany, where he recorded three wins in five starts, including a Group 3 stakes, a second and a third. In his only American start, Namaron finished third in the Gun Runner Stakes at Kentucky downs. Hector Barrios will ride Namaron for the first time.

“We bought him with the idea of ​​running him at Del Mar. He didn’t make it, so we ran him at Kentucky Downs,” Sadler said. “He ran a very good race in a field of fourteen horses. Prat was very pleased with him. We think he is a very nice horse. But this is only his second start here, so his form against these American horses is still a bit of a mystery.”

Richard Baltas trains Scipio winner of the Feb. 16 Baffle Stakes on Santa Anita’s hilly grass track. Scipio’s last three starts came at Kentucky, where he finished second to Test Score by 1 1/4 lengths at Transylvania and was unplaced in two stakes at Churchill Downs. Test Score came second in one of the Churchill races.

Michael McCarthy won the 2020 Twilight Derby Smooth as a strait who went on to finish second in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T), and the trainer has been entered maaz this time. In five starts, Maaz has won twice, including a one-mile turf allowance/optional claimer at Santa Anita on Oct. 3. In his lone stakes attempt, Maaz finished fourth in the La Jolla Handicap at Del Mar.

September sixty-four trained by Mike Puype, broke his first Aug. 14 at Del Mar in his second start. He led for much of the October 3 race won by Maaz before finishing fifth.