2017 Twilight Derby Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G2 Twilight Derby goes down this Saturday, October 28 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Horses three years old will line up on Santa Anita's turf track and race 1 1/8 miles for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.

A field of 11 will go in the Twilight Derby - race 9 on Santa Anita's Saturday card. Post time is 4:30 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all 11 entries for this competitive G2 stakes.

2017 Twilight Derby Stakes Entries at Santa Anita Park

Sharp Samurai

Has won five of his eight career starts (four of five since switching to turf) for trainer Mark Glatt. Last time out was a nice win with a 101 BRIS Figure in the G2 Del Mar Derby September 3 after another win in his graded stakes debut - as favorite in the G3 La Jolla Handicap on that track August 6. Before that was yet another win in the minor $75,000 Rainbow Stakes June 10, a fourth in the minor Singletary Stakes May 6, an Allowance Optional Claiming score by 2 1/4 lengths April 6 and a sixth in a similar race March 9. Sharp Samurai has been on a serious upward trajectory and will try to build on a nice three-stakes win streak Saturday with Gary Stevens guiding him from gate 6.

Just Howard

Impressive Graham Motion trained colt has nine career starts with four wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He enters on a superb four-race win streak - the G3 Commonwealth Derby September 30, the minor Find Stakes August 19 and the minor Caveat Stakes July 15 (all at Laurel Park) and a maiden score at Pimlico in May. He placed in three of four starts before that as well. Just Howard hasn't been touched lately and hopes for a fifth straight win from post 5 Saturday. Feargal Lynch gets the call.

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Bowies Hero

Has four wins and a third-place finish in seven eight starts for trainer Phil D'Amato. He won his first two starts - the best of which coming in the minor Del Mar Juvenile Turf September 3 but he stumbled to an eighth in his next race in the minor Zuma Beach Stakes at Del Mar October 10. He went on to an eleventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and has been OK since. Last time out was an OK third behind Sharp Samurai and Big Score in the G3 Del Mar Derby September 3 after a good 1 1/2 length win in the minor Oceanside Stakes on that track July 19, a fourth in the G2 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Santa Anita Park June 3 and a nice win over Sharp Samurai among others in the minor Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita May 6. Bowies Hero will be after a first graded stakes score and a third stakes victory in five starts. Kent Desormeaux has been tabbed to ride from gate 4.

Big Score

Has three wins, three seconds and a third-place finish in his nine career starts for Tim Yakteen. He made his graded stakes debut last November 4 and finished an OK fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and has been up and down since - an OK second behind Sharp Samurai last time out in the G2 Del Mar Derby September 3 followed an eighth in the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational July 8, a second in the G2 Penn Mile June 3, a third in the G2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 6 and a good win in in the G3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland April 7. He also had a good win in the minor Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita October 10, a second behind Bowies Hero in the minor Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes September 3 and a win at first asking - at Del Mar in July. Big Score has placed in four of his last five starts overall - decent form and will try for his first graded stakes win since April. He leaves from post 3 with a yet-to-be-determined jockey aboard.

Profiteer

Has seven career starts for trainer Shug McGaughey with three wins, a second and a third-place finish. He enters off an OK third behind Just Howard in the G3 Commonwealth Derby at Laurel Park September 30 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Saratoga August 26, an eighth in the G3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland in April, a second in the minor Columbia Stakes March 11 and two straight wins - the best of which coming in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Tampa Bay in January. Profiteer has been decent against lesser company and hopes it finally translates in stakes company Saturday. Mike Smith rides from post 9.

Cowboy Culture

Brad Cox trained colt has won five of seven career starts. He arrives on a nice two-race win streak - the listed Centaur Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths at Indiana Grand September 6 and the G3 Arlington Classic by an impressive 5 3/4 lengths May 27. He failed to place in his previous two starts including the G3 Transylvania Stake at Keeneland in April and a seventh in the G3 Palm Beach Stakes in March but he did win three straight before that including the minor Keith Gee Memorial Overnight Stakes at Fair Grounds in February. Cowboy Culture seems to be over his funk and will chase a third straight stakes score from gate 2. Florent Geroux rides.

Channel Maker

Legendary trainer Bill Mott sends out Channel Maker for his twelfth career start after his 11 starts produced two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes. He placed in his first three career starts at Woodbine including a win in the minor Vandal Stales August 14 and a third in the G2 Summer Stakes in September. He went on to a seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and an eighth in the G3 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream March 4. He has been OK in six starts since - a sixth last time out in the G1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic here September 30 followed a nice win in the minor Breeders' Stakes at Woodbine August 20, an OK fourth in Canada's biggest race - the Queen's Plate, a second in the G3 Marine Stakes May 28 (all three at Woodbine) and a second in an Allowance April 26. Channel Maker will be after a first graded stakes score Saturday and enters in OK form. Drayden Van Dyke has the mount from gate 8.

Troublewithatee

Has just two wins in nine career starts to go along with a second and a third-place finish for trainer Phil D'Amato. He steps into stakes company for the first time Saturday on a two-race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming here last time out September 30 and a maiden score at Del Mar August 19. Before that was a seventh, a third and consecutive fourths in MSW races earlier in his career. Troublewithatee steps up in career-best form and will have Corey Nakatani in the irons from post 7.

Cistron

Has placed in nine of 12 career starts for trainer John Sadler - three wins, a second and five third place finishes. He made his graded stakes debut in June and finished an OK third in the G2 Penn Mile June 3 and followed that with a fifth in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby July 15, a sixth in the listed Shared Belief Stales at Del Mar August 26 and a third last time out in the minor Obviously Mile Stakes here October 7. He posted a second in the minor Desert Code Stakes here May 13, a nice win in the minor Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park April 15, a third in the minor Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita March 19 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track in February. Cistron has been a tad up and down and will be out to snap a five-race losing streak while winning his first graded stakes race - from the rail. Tyler Baze gets the call.

Dangerfield

Doug O'Neill trained gelding has just one win in 10 career starts to go along with a second and two third-place finishes. He won the minor Oak Tree Juvenile Stakes last October and went on to consecutive thirds in graded stakes action - the G3 $1,000,000 Delta Downs Jackpot last November and the G1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity in December but has failed to place in four starts since. Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here September 30 after a fifth and a ninth in a pair of similar races this past summer and a fifth in the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes here in January. Dangerfield tries to snap a six-race losing streak and for a first graded stakes score Saturday from gate 10 with Kyle Frey aboard.

Ann Arbor Eddie

Doug O'Neill trained gelding has placed in six of 10 career starts - four wins, a second and a third-place finish. He finished third in the G3 Bob Hope Stakes in his second career starts and has mostly been underwhelming since. Last time out was a sixth in the G3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx September 23 which followed an eighth in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga August 26, an OK second in the minor Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar July 28 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Los Alamitos July 9. Ann Arbor Eddie has placed in just two of his last six starts overall and shoots for a first graded stakes score from the outside post 11. Mario Gutierrez will be in the reins.

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