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

City Ball Drop had run competitively in some of the biggest races out there for three year olds, but could not pick up that one big win. While the Twilight Derby will not quite be a consolation prize for races like the Travers or Queens Plate, it gives him that big win that he had been looking for. Pan Farms is the trainer that enjoys the victory in this 12th running of the Twilight, and it is his first win in the stake. The winning jockey is H J Theriot II, who also wins it for the first time. Congratulations to them! The time of the victory 1:45.49, the fourth quickest in the history of the race. Let’s take a look!

(½ Mile- :47.01)- Shooting out to the lead from the middle of the gate would be Sleet, from Maxmillion Farm, who would have some company in the form of Profound Approach (Chili King Stables) as they move down the front stretch. These two open up an advantage of about two lengths on third place Free Rotation (Alberta Rose Stables), but eventually the steady stride of City Ball Drop (Pan Farms), puts him third into the turn. Sweep The Ravine (Smokey Stover) also looked like he might be closer to the front initially, before dropping back into the fifth position, five and a half lengths out. It’s another length to Darth Andedudu (Diablo Diablo). Wanting no part of the early speed would be Genetics (Team 7 Illusions), Above The Law (Lions Racing), and Jamie Mach (Gdp Inc), while Urban Mythology (Hambletonian Stable) saw them all in front of him.

(3/4 Mile- 1:09.98)- The front four run single file down the backstretch with each one separated by the next one by a length and a half. While there was no hurry with any of the front four; Sleet, Profound Approach, City Ball Drop and Free Rotation, we do start to see a lot of movement towards the back of the field. The most emphatic mover here would be Jamie Mach, clearing the two that he had been running with previously, and now drawing even with Darth Andedudu. This was done while about six wide.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Sleet handles the turn with ease, and moves into the top of the stretch with a lead of two and a half lengths. The race seemed to be looking good at this point for him, and it would take a great effort to get by him. City Ball Drop was going to take that shot, as he pulled to the outside of Profound Approach to take over second. It was another two and a half lengths to the rest of the field. Sweep The Ravine was starting look good back there, but there seemed to be far too much ground to make up on the leader. Free Rotation began to fade out of contention.

(Finish- 1:45.49)- With a bold move, City Ball Drop leaves Profound Approach in his dust and bears down on Sleet for the win. Sleet was not able to find the needed boost to be able to hold off our winner, as City Ball Drop’s power move to his outside results in a big win for trainer Pan Farms. Profound Approach seemed startled by how quick City Ball Drop left him, and in the process, lost out on third to Sweep The Ravine, who beat the outside charging Jamie Mach in a tight photo for 3rd. Then, it would be Profound Approach. The rest of the field didn’t really show us much today. Darth Andedudu, Genetics, Urban Mythology, Free Rotation, and Above The Law finish 6th thru 10th.

About The Winner: City Ball Drop, trained by Pan Farms and ridden by H J Theriot II, is a three year old colt by City Of Angels and out of Pip Ball. He was bred in Ontario by Pan Farms as a third quarter two year old, the only trainer for which he has ever known. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his third in eight starts, his second stake win, and first graded win. His career earnings are now $235.000.

Track: Firm
Time: :47   1:09⁴  1:33²  1:45²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 6 Paid 170.90
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 6 – 7 Paid 1,555.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES