Test Score The Class Of Saturday Graded Action At Del Mar

[Wandering Eyes]

GI Belmont Derby winner Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) looks poised to add a second win at the top level Saturday in the GI Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

The only Grade I winner in the field, the Amerman Racing homebred has strung together an enviable career with only two off-the-board finishes in 11 races and earnings north of $1.4m for trainer Graham Motion. He exits a solid win in last month's GII Twilight Derby at Santa Anita over this same 1 1/8-mile distance, defeating Maaz (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) who lines up to oppose him once more Saturday.

That French-bred runner, imported early this year after breaking his maiden in England, picked up his first win two back at the mile Oct. 3 before running second at 15-1 odds in the Twilight Derby.

Beaten 2 1/2 lengths in the King's Plate, Tom's Magic (Justify) rebounded last time out to take the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown in a narrow win going 1 1/2 miles in the Breeders' Stakes Sept. 28. He's been freshened since for trainer Michael Stidham but will need to sharpen considerably given his only head-to-head contest facing Test Score resulted in a ninth at Keeneland in the GIII Transylvania Stakes back in April.

As the only other horse in the field to even line up for a Grade I race, Noble Confessor (Quality Road) ships in for Todd Pletcher and St. Elias Stables off a pair of seconds in New York in the GII Jockey Club Derby Invitational Oct. 4 and the GIII Hill Prince Stakes Nov. 8. His only prior try at the top level was a sixth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on the local course.

Tom's Magic | Julia Sebastianelli/EQUI-PHOTO

The field also features a pair of first-time stakes winners led by recent Let It Ride Stakes victor Tempus Volat (Not This Time) and Juddmonte homebred Salamis (Speightstown) who captured the Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct Sept.28. Making their stakes debuts are Copp (Blame) for Michael McCarthy and maiden Kokosan (Unified) for John Sadler.

Earlier in the card, the graded action kicks off as Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) and Almendares (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) renew their rivalry in the GII Seabiscuit Handicap. The pair were separated by just a head as they both finished behind Johannes (Nyquist) in the GII City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita Sept. 27. Stay Hot (Summer Front) also looks to break through here after a pair of close finishes in graded stakes company his last two starts for Peter Eurton. 6-year-old El Potente (Temple City) exits back to back wins including a three-length romp in the GIII Thunder Road Stakes but that was his last race and he comes off a nine-month layoff Saturday for Dan Blacker. Sumter (War Front) led for much of the running of this race one year ago but faded badly to last. He exits a win in the Lure Stakes Oct. 18 for Richard Mandella.

Rounding out the graded stakes action at Del Mar Saturday, the 2-year-old fillies go one mile in the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes. A largely untested group, there are a couple of class droppers in the mix led by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner La Ville Lumiere (City of Light). While seventh there and never a factor, the Michael McCarthy runner gets back to grass where she broke her maiden earlier this season. Sweet Little Lila (Ire) (Palace Pier {GB}), while still a maiden, ran third going just a 1/16th longer in the Selima Stakes two back at Laurel for Brittany Russell and Umbralle (Into Mischief) also exits stakes company on the dirt when fourth in the Anoakia Stakes Oct. 19. Trainer Phllip D'Amato gives Yours Sincerely (Ire) (Cable Bay {Ire}) another try after she ran fourth on this surface and distance in the GIII Surfer Girl Stakes Oct. 5. Two runners make just their second start with Whisper Hill Farm homebred Just Aloof (Justify) exiting the narrowest of wins on debut at Aqueduct for Chad Brown Oct. 16 and Cee Drew (Cistron) entering off a state-bred win at Santa Anita for Dan Blacker. Making her North American debut is Special Wood (Fr) (Wooded {Ire}) who came over from France after her last start in a stakes race at Lyon-Parilly Sept. 9. And rail-drawn Latte Luv (Constitution), who broke her maiden on the grass in her last start in gate to wire fashion, will likely look repeat that effort for Chief Stipe O'Neill.

Letmecounttheways | Coglianese

In Kentucky, the 2-year-old fillies continue to shine over on the main track in the GII Golden Rod Stakes. After the scratch earlier in the week of main contender Explora (Blame) for Bob Baffert, the race could come down to undefeated New York-bred Letmecounttheways (Yaupon) for Michael Maker. Perfect in two starts with an average winning margin of 5 3/4 lengths, she exits a stakes win in the Maid O' The Mist Stakes at Aqueduct going one mile Oct. 25. She lines up just inside of Life of Joy (Gun Runner) who rocketed to a maiden win at Horseshoe Indy by 14 3/4 lengths and backed that form up with a 2 1/4-length win in the Rags to Riches Stakes over course and distance Oct. 26 for Brad Cox.

“We really like her,” Cox said of Life of Joy. “She broke her maiden in Indiana and it was a really big step up going from that race to the stakes at Churchill. That race [the Rags to Riches] came up with somewhat of a short field and she got a really good trip. There are a few more fillies in this race and it's a deeper group . She has to step up again. She's another one that had a really good breeze this morning [Nov. 24] over this track. She is training well and is training forward since that last run. We've seen positive things from her since that last run.”

A third undefeated filly, Baracca (Oscar Performance), joins the line up from the rail for Brendan Walsh off a win in the optional claiming ranks at Churchill Oct. 31. Walsh also starts second-time starter and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) who broke her maiden at Keeneland Oct. 5 by 4 1/4 lengths. Fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Atropa (Into Mischief) impressed for Cherie DeVaux in her second start at Keeneland Oct. 9, breaking her maiden by 10 lengths. And The Grumpy Rabbit (Not This Time) picked up Grade I black-type two starts back when third in the GI Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland Oct. 3 and most recently ran second behind Life of Joy in the Rags to Riches Stakes.

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