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Maker-Trained Field Pass Ships West For Twilight Derby; Taishan Seems To Prefer Grass

Field Pass was en route from Kentucky to California this morning to compete in next Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Twilight Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita Park.

The gray son of Lemon Drop Kid is one of five horses trainer Michael Maker had nominated to what is shaping up as a race worthy of Grade I consideration down the road.

“He prefers firmer going; that was the main reason bringing him in for the race,” Maker said by phone from the Blue Grass State.

Field Pass has five victories from 13 starts, including the Transylvania at Keeneland on turf and the Jeff Ruby Steaks on Polytrack at Turfway Park, each a Grade 3 event.

The Twilight Derby drew 21 nominations, eight conditioned by “out of town” trainers, including one by Todd Pletcher and the aforementioned five by Maker.

“Field Pass is very good around the barn but a bit of a handful to gallop,” Maker said. “Other than that, he's pretty straightforward.”

Louisville native Drayden Van Dyke has the mount.

Richard Baltas hopes Taishan wins his first stakes race when he runs in the Twilight Derby.

Taishan, a Candy Ride colt, was second last out in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs Sept. 5, losing by only a half-length in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, despite being bothered at the start.

“It was his first time on grass and it was a very good effort,” Baltas said of the Kentucky-bred bay owned by Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran. “It was a half-million dollar race and there was a lot of speed, so I think it kind of set up for him.

“That being said, I think he was always meant to be on the grass. He ran against some tough horses on dirt at Oaklawn in Nadal (winner of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2).

“Candy Rides are pretty versatile but I think they prefer the turf.”

Taishan's first three races were in Southern California, but his last seven included stops at Oaklawn Park, Indiana and Churchill Downs.

Florent Geroux, who rode Taishan in the American Derby, was impressed with his performance.

“They wanted me to get a position (near the lead) but they were rolling in front so we went to Plan B,” the Frenchman said after the race. “I set off inside nicely and made one run. He ran a big race, first time on grass. He handled it perfectly.

“He's a nice horse. He'd been working very well and I'm very happy with the way he ran.”

Taishan was a distant fourth in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at a mile on dirt at Santa Anita Jan. 4 behind Authentic, who would go on to win the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5.

Any way it shakes out, the Twilight Derby has the look of a very contentious race.

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Texas Summer Yearling And Horses Of Racing Age Sale Posts Across-The-Board Gains

The Texas Summer Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale, held jointly by the Texas Thoroughbred Association and Lone Star Park, posted a big gain in gross sales on Monday. The average and median also increased compared to last year, even with a much larger catalog on tap this year.

The sale was held in the sales pavilion at Lone Star Park with appropriate safety measures in place, and online bidding was offered for the first time at the Texas sale.

For the yearling session, 106 head from 137 offered sold for a total of $1,347,700, compared to 42 of 65 sold last year for $506,000. That represents a 166.34 percent increase in gross sales. The average this year was $12,714, up 5.5 percent from last year's $12,048, and the median rose to $5,100 from $5,000 for an increase of 2 percent. The buyback rate this year was 22.6 percent compared to 35.3 percent last year.

The format was altered this year to include a horses of racing age session, in part because of the cancellation of the 2-year-olds in training sale earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The session had 15 horses sell from 18 offered for a total of $162,500 and an average of $10,833.

Last year's summer auction had a traditional mixed session with 12 sold for $31,100.

“The results of this sale were strong on their own, and especially against the backdrop of a health pandemic,” said Tim Boyce, sales director. “With twice as many yearlings as last year, the fact that our average and median still went up shows that there's a lot of demand in this region for quality stock. We were pleased with the response to online bidding as well.”

Al Pike, agent, bought the three highest priced horses, topped by Hip 218, a Louisiana-bred colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Klimt. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Coteau Grove Farms LLC, the January foal is the first out of the unraced Ghostzapper mare Ms. Character and sold for $120,000.

Pike also signed the ticket on the Hip 203, who sold for $100,000 as the top filly and second-highest overall. Consigned by H & E Ranch, Roger Daly, agent, the Kentucky-bred daughter is also from the first crop of a Grade 1 winner in Classic Empire. She is out of Just Like Pop, by Unbridled's Song, whose only foal to race is a multiple winner.

Pike also got the third-highest price from H & E Ranch and Daly with Hip 243, a Kentucky-bred Lemon Drop Kid colt for $70,000.

From the horses of racing age session, the top price was Hip 16, an unraced 2-year-old filly by Twirling Candy. Martin Racing Stable LLC bought her for $27,000 from Eaton Sales, agent.

Eaton Sales, agent, participating in the Texas sale for the first time, topped the list of consignors with gross sales of $454,800 from 28 sold. Roger Daly, agent, had the top average with eight sold for an average of $31,800.

For complete sale results, go to www.ttasales.com.

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Field Pass Prevails In Tight Transylvania Stakes Finish

Three Diamonds Farm's Field Pass held off Street Ready by a nose to win Sunday's 32nd running of the $100,000 Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) for 3-year-olds at Keeneland on closing day of the Lexington, Ky., track's five-day summer Thoroughbred meet.

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Field Pass covered the 1 1/16 miles on a turf course labeled good in 1:42.56.

Juggernaut led the field through fractions of :23.33, :47.76 and 1:12.45 with Fancy Liquor and Street Ready in closest pursuit and Field Pass saving ground in fifth.

In the stretch, Fancy Liquor pushed to the front but was joined at midstretch by Field Pass on his outside. Those two were immediately joined by Street Ready, who ducked to the inside under Chris Landeros. The trio dueled to the wire with Field Pass barely prevailing.

The victory, the fourth stakes triumph and second Grade 3 win for Field Pass, was worth $60,000 and increased the colt's bankroll to $418,610.

Field Pass is a Maryland-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid out of the Runaway Groom mare Only Me.

Sent off as the favorite in the field of 10, Field Pass returned $6.40, $4.40 and $3.60. Street Ready paid $12.60 and $7.60 and finished a neck ahead of Fancy Liquor, who paid $5.20 to show under Florent Geroux.

It was another half-length back to City Man, who was followed in order by Spanish Kingdom, Bama Breeze, Irish Mias, Vintage Print, Kinenos and Juggernaut.

In partnership with Keeneland, sponsor Kentucky Utilities has provided $7,500 in matching funds to support God's Pantry Food Bank and Nourish Lexington, two programs that are teaming to provide meals to those in need in Lexington during the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Keeneland is a proud founding partner of Nourish Lexington, which uses the skills and talents of displaced hospitality employees to prepare and serve these meals. Since its inception on April 1, Nourish Lexington has served more than 80,000 meals.

God's Pantry is critical to Nourish Lexington because many ingredients for meals are from the food bank.

To support this effort, please click here.

Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Quotes
Ricardo Santana Jr.: “He was sitting behind the speed, perfect. Turning for home, I took him out. He got in the clear and started running. Every time he saw those two horses on the inside he kept fighting.”

Mike Maker: “This horse loves to win. He's all heart. As Ricardo said, he never really doubted (Field Pass) would win. When he thought he was getting the lead, he started kinda backing off. When he felt the pressure, he dug back in.”

Will he get better in longer races for 3-year-olds? “I think so. We're gonna find out.”

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