Sharp Samurai earns 4th straight win in Santa Anita's Twilight Derby
Sharp Samurai was ready from the get-go Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita Park. Under jockey Gary Stevens, the 3-year-old gelding came away best in the field of nine, easily taking command of the 1 1/8 miles turf test. Trained and partly owned by Mark Glatt, the Twilight Derby marks Sharp Samurai’s fourth straight win.
“Mark and his team have done a tremendous job with him,” said Stevens. “We haven’t seen the best of him yet. He’s improved with every race.”
Sharp Samurai broke alertly from post six and was able to secure the lead on the rail. However, Profiteer came to challenge on his outside, and the two went back in forth through the first half mile, with fractions going in :23.95 and :47.61. Bowies Hero, Big Score, and Ann Arbor Eddie were next in line. Just Howard, Troublewithatee, Channel Maker, Cowboy Culture shaped up the field.
By the three-quarters mark, Sharp Samurai secured his position up front and ticked off another fraction in 1:10.87. Profiteer began to lose ground while Bowies Hero and Ann Arbor Eddie swung wide to make their bids.
Before even rounding the turn, Sharp Samurai began to slip away. Room opened up for Big Score to run, but Sharp Samurai was unstoppable. Stevens and his mount sped off to take the mile in 1:33.90 and finish the last eighth in 1:45.36.
“Mark kind of gave me the green light in the paddock and told me if I wanted to go to the lead with him I could,” said Stevens. “That’s the beauty of this horse, is he listens to me so much and he just wants to please me, and I just want to please him. It’s a lot of fun.”
As the 2-1 favorite, Sharp Samurai returned $6.20, $3.60, and $2.80.
Big Score was able to hold for second and Bowies Hero got up for third. Channel Maker, Profiteer, Just Howard, Ann Arbor Eddie, Troublewithatee, and Cowboy Culture completed the order of finish. Cistron and Dangerfield were scratched.
Prior to the Twilight Derby, Sharp Samurai won the Rainbow Stakes, the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap, and the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby for owners Red Baron’s Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC, and Glatt.
“Gary says every time he breezes him and each time he rides him this horse is just getting better and better and better,” said Glatt, “and he really put it together today.”
By First Samurai and out of Secret Wish, by Street Cry (IRE), Sharp Samurai was bred in Kentucky by Cudney Stables. Glatt purchased him for $85,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Sharp Samurai has gone on to win six of nine starts and has earned $465,870.
Glatt and Stevens both said that they may have run the horse on the wrong Saturday.
“If he stays good and continues to improve I think Mark will have the option to run him in the Breeders’ Cup Mile or the Breeders’ Cup Turf next year,” said Stevens. “If this was six weeks away from the Breeders’ Cup I would be shouting to go in the Breeders’ Cup Turf because you have to be so lucky in the Mile. He’ll get a mile and a half and he’ll get a mile so he’s a lot of fun to ride. I haven’t ridden too many that are this versatile.”
The Breeders’ Cup Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Turf are Saturday, Nov. 4 at Del Mar.
By Christine Oser