Twilight Derby 2015 at Santa Anita Park

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California will play host to the Grade 2 Twilight Derby on Saturday, October 24. A purse of $200,000 will be on the line for three year olds willing to go 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita's turf track.

A field of 10 will give it ago in the Twilight Derby - race 7 on Santa Anita's Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:00 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 10 combatants for this Grade 2 stakes.

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Twilight Derby 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Om - has seven career starts for trainer Dan Hendricks with three wins, a second and a third place finish. He has placed in four straight races ahead of this weekend - a career defining gate-to-wire win last time out in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 6 being by far his best result. Before that was a second as favorite behind Prospect Park in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap August 9, a third in his graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 Affirmed and a dominating 2 1/4 length Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita in May. Om is one of two horses to ever beat American Pharoah - by 7 1/4 lengths back in August and has been steadily improving this summer. He looks like the one to beat as he leaves from post 3 with Gary Stevens aboard./p>

Soul Driver - has 10 career starts for trainer Jeff Mullins with three wins, two seconds and a third place finish and enters on the heels of a disappointing fifth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 6. Before that was two straight wins - both minor stakes including the Oceanside Stakes July 16 and by 4 1/2 lengths in the Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita in June. He does have two other graded stakes starts - both were fifth place finishes - the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate in February and the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes in November. Soul Driver will be out to place in graded stakes company for the first time from gate 6 with Tyler Baze in the reins.

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Royal Albert Hall - Doug O'Neill trained British bred gelding had a win, two seconds and a third place finish in five starts at home before shipping and has been OK in seven starts in North America. Last time out was a disappointing sixth in the Grade 3 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park October 3 which followed a second behind Om in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, a third in his graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap August 9, a third in the minor Oceanside Stakes in July, a fourth in the minor Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita in June and a pair of seconds in Allowance races in May. Royal Albert Hall will be after his first graded stakes score and his first win overall since January when he leaves from gate 8 with Rafael Bejarano in the reins.

Hunt - Irish bred Phil D'Amato trained gelding has just one win in eight career starts to go along with four seconds and a third place finish. He races in stakes company for the first time Saturday off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar August 30 and another second in his last race at home. Hunt has placed in four of his last five starts overall - in decent form ahead of the weekend. Mike Smith rides from the rail.

Ground Rules - has five career starts for trainer Cliff Sise with two wins and a second place finish. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track October 8, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar September 6 and an unfortunate DNF in July. He has been good so far but takes a major step up in competition Saturday. Martin Garcia gets the call from gate 4.

Daddy D T - finished third in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile for trainer John Sadler and has just three starts since. Last time out was his worst effort in some time - a sixth in the minor Paseana Stakes here way back in March. Before that was a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in February and a third in the minor Eddie Logan Stakes in December. He now has a win, a second and two third place finishes in seven career starts. Daddy D T hopes for his first win in 13 months Saturday when he leaves from post 7 with Victor Espinoza guiding him.

Verraco - has three wins and a second place finish in eight career starts for trainer James Cassidy. He enters off a Claiming score on this track October 4, a fifth in the minor Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico in May, a fourth in the Grade 3 Illinois Derby in April and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track in February. He has won two of his last four starts but has yet to place in stakes company. Santiago Gonzalez has been tabbed with gaining Verraco his first stakes score from the outside post 10.

Mister Brightside - Irish bred Jeremy Noseda trained colt has placed in eight of nine career starts - three wins, two seconds and three third place finishes and makes his North American debut Saturday. Last time out was a third at Doncaster September 9 after three wins in his previous four starts. Mister Brightside looks ready for his step up in competition and will be guided by James Graham from gate 2.

Boone Docks - has just one win and one third place finish in seven career starts for trainer Eric Guillot. He finally broke maiden last time out in his seventh career start - in his seventh career start - on this track October 1. Before that was a fourth and a third respectively in a pair of similar races this past summer. Boone Docks has been just OK against lesser company but could be in over his head in this one. Corey Nakatani has been tabbed to ride from post 5.

Second Summer - Peter Eurton trained colt has a win, a second and a third place finish in six career starts - all MSW races. He takes a major step up in competition off a maiden score in his sixth career start and a second in a similar race in August - both results at Del Mar. Second Summer has been steadily improving but is likely in deep in this one. Mario Gutierrez gets the call from post 9.


2015 Twilight Derby Entries & Odds

Race 7 on Santa Anita's Saturday card with a Post Time of 7:00 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Hunt (IRE) Mike Smith Philip D'Amato
8-1
2 Mister Brightside (IRE) James Graham Jeremy Noseda
6-1
3 Om Gary Stevens Dan Hendricks
9-5
4 Ground Rules Martin Garcia Clifford Sise, Jr.
6-1
5 Boone Docks Corey Nakatani Eric Guillot
20-1
6 Soul Driver Tyler Baze Jeff Mullins
9-2
7 Daddy D T Victor Espinoza John Sadler
12-1
8 Royal Albert Hall (GB) Rafael Bejarano Doug O'Neill
8-1
9 Second Summer Mario Gutierrez Peter Eurton
8-1
10 Verraco Santiago Gonzalez James Cassidy
20-1