Twilight Derby (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
October 18, 2020

The sun was out, and Winchester could not have been any happier. The last two times the gelding had been on the track, the turf came up soft, and he was not able to be at this best. Before that, a race that was here at SA, he would end up in the winners circle. Now, with firm turf again, and on familiar ground, Winchester lives up to part of his name, and captures the Twilight Derby. It is another win on the grass for Maxmillion Farm, and the second time he has won this stake. He was last victorious in 2018 with another “Win”, that being Winter Solstice. Jockey Ru Fuentes is a first time winner. Congratulations to them! The race was run in a time of 1:45.42, a middle of the road time for the race. Let’s take a look!

(½ Mile- :47.47)- No one would be rushed out of the gate, but emerging a little better than everyone else down the front stretch would be Beach Clown, out of Langley Farms. He would have early company in the form of Kill Or Be Killed, from Mb Stables, as well as TwinTowersRacing’s Rocky Mountain High, who was running on the outside. The eventual winner from Maxmillion Farm, Winchester, would stalk those leaders while able to maintain his position comfortably on the rail. Post time favorite, Ekli Stable’s Raleigh In Doubt was a length behind him to his outside. It’s another length to Mr Scratch (D J C Racing Stables), another to Lucky Storm (Arindel), and well back its Trouble Brewing (30west).

(¾ Mile- 1:10.55)- It is still the same three horses out in front, but there is a new one in the lead, as Rocky Mountain High takes that spot, and pulls out by half a length just as they reach the end of the backstretch. There is nothing wrong with either Beach Clown or Kill Or Be Killed at this point as both still run well, too. Winchester continued to stalk, but decided to come down off of the rail in order to make his push to the lead. He moves in behind Rocky Mountain High, and at this time he could move to the inside or outside of that one. Raleigh In Doubt and Mr Scratch held the same gaps to Winchester as they had previously. Lucky Storm lost some ground, and trouble was brewing for Trouble Brewing.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Entering the stretch, Rocky Mountain High remains the leader and seems to have good fight in him still. For now, Kill Or Be Killed is staying with him, but Beach Clown begins to lose touch. Meanwhile, Winchester continues to run a great race, and moves to the fourth lane to make his push for the top spot. He is third, and only a length back. Both Raleigh In Doubt and Mr Scratch were still hanging with him, so looked to be good challengers here as well. Lucky Storm and Trouble Brewing were beaten horses by this point.

(Finish- 1:45.42)- In the stretch, there would be no one better than Winchester, responding with run that no one else in this field would have, allowing him to make the pass for the lead look pretty easy. He would win while going away, taking it by a length of the second place Rocky Mountain High, who’s effort is not completely unrewarded. Third is Mr Scratch, but he never threatened for more then that, and the final piece of the purse goes to Kill Or Be Killed. Raleigh In Doubt came up flat when it was go time in the stretch. Lucky Storm and Trouble Brewing round it out.

About The Winner- Winchester, trained by Maxmillion Farm, and ridden to victory by Ru Fuentes, is a three year old gelding by Sydney Harbour and is out of Empress Of Olympus. He was bred in California by Orion Farms as a third quarter two year old, and acquired by Maxmillion Farm when he was still unraced in the September 2019 auction for $100.010. The win is his third in ten starts, his second stake win, and first graded win. His career earnings are now $323.710.

Track: Firm
Time: :47²  1:10²  1:33⁴  1:45²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 8 Paid 108.00
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 8 – 4 Paid 577.10

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES