The 7-1 shot broke sharply and was a bit headstrong while racing in tight quarters heading into the clubhouse turn. He began to settle beneath Umberto Rispoli from there and raced on the inside in eighth through fractions of :23.56 and :47.18. Traveling well with a wall of horses in front of him at the top of the stretch, the bay threaded the needle beautifully as they straightened and produced a powerful run down the center to score by a half-length in the nine-furlong affair.

First-time gelding Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), beaten just a nose as the favorite in last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, nosed out unlucky favorite Webslinger (Constitution) for second.

“We have always had big hopes for this horse,” winning trainer Richard Mandella said. “We thought he would be a good one. I didn't tell Umberto (Rispoli) a thing in the paddock. I just wished him luck.”

Seal Team, a debut second sprinting on the Del Mar lawn last November, got his picture taken in two of his previous three starts this term, including an optional claimer over this same course and distance last time Oct. 8.

Pedigree Notes:

Seal Team becomes the 64th graded/group winner (115th stakes winner) worldwide for leading sire War Front.

The two-time graded winner Mrs McDougal, a sales-topping $1.6-million purchase by agent Steve Young on behalf of the winner's connections at the 2018 KEEJAN sale, is also represented by the unraced 2-year-old colt Gun Barrel City (Frankel {GB}); a yearling colt by Curlin who RNA'd for $175,000 at KEESEP; and a Connect colt of this year. She was bred back to Charlatan.

No joy for Silver Knott and William Buick as Seal Team wins the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita!

It's Breeders' Cup time next… pic.twitter.com/1gD3myMLj2

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 4, 2023

Saturday, Santa Anita
TWILIGHT DERBY-GII, $254,000, Santa Anita, 11-4, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.29, fm.
1–SEAL TEAM (GB), 124, c, 3, by War Front
                1st Dam: Mrs McDougal (MGSW & GISP, $496,736),
                                by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Distorted Passion, by Distorted Humor
                3rd Dam: Arianna's Passion, by Unbridled's Song
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Perry R.
and Ramona S. Bass II; B-Bass Stables, LLC (GB); T-Richard E.
Mandella; J-Umberto Rispoli. $150,000. Lifetime Record:
5-3-1-1, $260,960. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Silver Knott (GB), 124, g, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–God Given
(GB), by Nathaniel (Ire). (725,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT).
O-Godolphin, LLC; B-St Albans Bloodstock LLP (GB); T-Charles
Appleby. $50,000.
3–Webslinger, 124, g, 3, Constitution–Arana, by Hard Spun.
($45,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP; $25,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $45,000
RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR; $50,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-D. J. Stable
LLC; B-Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$30,000.
Margins: HF, NO, NO. Odds: 7.30, 3.30, 2.50.
Also Ran: Reiquist, Almendares (GB), Watsonville, Panic Alarm (Ire), Be Your Best (Ire), Reincarnate, Packs a Wahlop, Maltese Falcon (Ire), Mondego (GB), California Bay.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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With longshot So Much Happy rocketing to the lead from the rail, Superstition was a joint second with Aqua Seaform Shame, about 3 ½ lengths off the lead heading into the far turn.  With her target in plain sight, Superstition had two lengths to make up at the three sixteenths pole and from there kicked into high gear under aggressive handling from Prat.

“I was disappointed in her last race, because we know she has a lot of ability, her earlier races show that,” said Prat, in reference to a fourth place run at six furlongs on turf in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes on Jan. 9.  “She has plenty of speed, but it's nice to see her relax.  Having that horse in front of us helped.”

A five-furlong turf maiden winner Nov. 14 and a five-furlong turf allowance winner on Nov. 29, Superstition was off at 9-2 in a field of seven older fillies and mares and paid $11.80, $4.60 and $3.20.

“She had been training better going into this,” Mandella allowed.  “She settled better today, which is encouraging.  We might think about a mile next time.”

A 4-year-old filly by Ghostzapper out of the Distorted Humor mare Grand Glory, Superstition is owned by Perry R. and Ramona S. Bass.  In getting her first stakes win, Superstition improved her overall mark to 7-3-2-1 and with the winner's share of $48,360, increased her earnings to $153,180.

Last turning for home, about six lengths off the lead, Neil Drysdale's Oleksandra put in a determined bid but ran out of real estate while finishing 1 ¾ lengths clear of Constantia. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Australian-bred Oleksandra was off at 8-5 and paid $3.20 and $2.40.

With Jose Valdivia, Jr. up, Constantia rallied from next to last at 16-1 and paid $4.00 to show while finishing a neck clear of French-bred Guitty.

Third in the Las Cienegas, Lighthouse got crushed in the late betting to go off as the 7-5 favorite but never threatened while finishing fifth with Juan Hernandez.

Fractions on the race were 20.75, 43.03 and 1:07.83.

Note:  Prat also won the eighth and final race, giving him three wins on the day, capping a huge four-day week that saw him win 11 races, including two stakes.  With 30 wins through 25 racing days, he's one win clear of Juan Hernandez atop the jockey standings and with 998 North American wins he's just two shy of an important milestone heading into Friday's nine-race card which begins at 12:30 p.m.

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