Twilight Derby (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
October 28, 2017

Apologies in advance for the short preview. Do not have much time to write today, and unfortunately these fields just drew today (I had all the time in the world yesterday!). So that I am not accused of favoring one stable, I am going to keep it simple. Recap will be of the normal quality, and I’ll be fine for BC weekend!

At SA this Saturday is one of the final opportunities for three year olds to compete exclusively against their own age group in the 12th running of the Twilight Derby, a turf event at a mile and an eighth. It is a race that has seen eleven different winning trainers in the eleven years that has run, and it is possible that trend could continue here. J Talamo has been aboard the winner twice, including last year, with Raj Action Packed. The ten horse field is listed below.

Free Rotation (Alberta Rose Stables) immediately jumps out at you, as he is on an impressive six race winning streak, and has won six of seven in his career overall. However, those races were very small until being claimed by Alberta Rose for just $7.500. She has elevated the career of the gelding, and in two races, has been able to step up. He won his stake debut in his last start, the $60.000 Unbridled Handicap. He’s one to watch to see if he can step up to this level.

City Ball Drop (Pan Farms) makes his turf debut after several appearances in big name races, which include the Haskell and Travers, and The Queens Plate. He was just part of the field there, though, so the trainer is looking to see how he can do on the grass. If he can thrive on it, he may be the one to beat.

Sleet (Maxmillion Farm) is coming off an impressive win in the $500.000 Hill Prince at BEL. If he can build on that, and there is no reason to believe that he can’t, then he should be too much for the rest of the field. I see no reason to go against him here.

Profound Approach (Chili King Stables), Sweep The Ravine (Smokey Stover), Genetics (Team 7 Illusions) and Darth Andedudu (Diablo Diablo) are all accomplished race horses over their careers and equally capable of pulling this one out. None of them stand out to me over the other ones as being poised for the big race, but any of them could win. The rest of the field are not pushovers, either.

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES