Before attention turns to the Breeders’ Cup in California, the $200,000 Grade II Twilight Derby over 1,800m for three-year-olds takes place at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, October 25 with Test Score the headliner in a field of five.
Graham Motion’s colt by Lookin At Lucky escapes a penalty for prior top level success in the Belmont Derby over the summer at Saratoga. It’s not just his Grade I win around the Spa that causes oddsmakers to favor him in this line-up, though. Earlier performances in the spring in the Commonwealth of Kentucky give Test Score major claims.
His length and a tail success over re-opposing second Scipio from the Grade III Transylvania Stakes around Keeneland also reads well. Test Score wasn’t disgraced when he chased home Zulu Kingdom on the Kentucky Derby day card and schedule in the American Turf at Churchill Downs either.
Since that Belmont Derby success, life has been tougher for him. As Test Score showed in the Saratoga Derby and perhaps didn’t stay the Nashville Derby distance of 2,100m, dropping back for the Twilight Derby makes sense. After a long campaign, this a more realistic target than something at the World Championships at Del Mar next weekend.
Old rival Scipio lacks a recent run but, on a form line through Audubon Stakes conqueror World Beater, who also landed the Saratoga and Old Dominion Derbies, Test Score should still have the beating of Richard Baltas’ Caravaggio ridgling. Scipio finished more than four lengths behind the subsequent Saratoga Derby hero in fourth at Churchill Downs, while the Spa clashes between Test Score and World Beater were much closer.
German Import Namaron a Danger
John Sadler could provide the biggest threat to the favorite with Namaron, a recruit from Germany. Before crossing the pond from Europe, this Amaron gelding landed a Group 3 and placed in another. Namaron shapes as though he will stay the extra distance just fine and confirmed that impression on his American debut.
Sadler pitched him in to the Gun Runner Stakes at Kentucky Downs during their turf meet and he ran on to make the show under a penalty. Beaten less than two lengths, he conceded 6lb to an unexposed winner with Grade II Secretariat Stakes scorer Giocoso splitting them in second. It’s for that reason that oddsmakers behind Kentucky Derby racebooks and Morning Line forecasters have Namaron second best.
Test Score has the beating of Scipio in past head-to-heads and the other two Twilight Derby runners must find more. Maaz is another transatlantic trade, but from England and just missed the show in Del Mar’s La Jolla Handicap following his US track debut for Michael McCarthy. Racing in last going on the final circuit, this Galiway gelding looks another one that should benefit from a longer distance.
Maaz wasn’t beaten far at California’s other big racetrack, so could have more to offer with another 100m to run. His form isn’t at the same level as fellow ex-European runner Namaron, though. Completing the line-up is Septembersixtyfour. Following Del Mar maiden success over 1,000m, he ran fifth over a mile here last time in his prep race behind Maaz.
Mike Puype needs further improvement from the Omaha Beach gelding if he’s to turnabout the result of that Santa Anita allowance optional claimer. On all known form, it looks as though the two big guns with prior graded or Group wins have it between them.
Twilight Derby 2025 Post Positions Draw & Morning Line Odds
- Septembersixtyfour – 6-1
- Namaron – 2-1
- Scipio – 9-2
- Maaz – 15-1
- Test Score – 4-5 fav
Our Handicapper’s Verdict
This is all about whether Test Score can translate his form from coast to coast. Any Grade I winner who gets into a lesser race without penalties is of obvious interest. Namaron looks a big threat, for all he only won a Group 3 in Europe, as German-bred horses like him have stamina in the pedigrees.
Of the others, Scipio looks exposed and there’s no obvious reason why off level weights he should turnabout past form with Test Score. Maaz looks big on the Morning Line, for all there won’t be any payouts for making the show in a five-horse field. He can confirm the result with Septembersixtyfour from earlier in the month at this track.
WATCH: Twilight Derby Favorite Test Score Run in the American Turf Stakes
