Test Score gave trainer Graham Motion his first Twilight Derby (G2T) Oct. 25, but even more importantly, the colt came through for owners John and Jerry Amerman. Though their Amerman Racing is based in the eastern half of the country these days, they raced for years in California and continue to own California-based Peacefield Farm.
The only shipper in the five-horse field for the Twilight Derby at Santa Anita Park, Test Score brought the best credentials and thus went off the heavy 3-5 favorite. He performed as expected, running down the leaders in the stretch to score by 1 1/2 lengths.
Septembersixtyfour took the early lead in the 1 1/8-mile turf event. The others were content to let him set the initial fractions, as he got the first quarter-mile in :23.55 and then slowed the pace down further to :47.81 for a half-mile.
Test Score raced in fourth early under Santa Anita-leading rider Juan Hernandez, who earlier on the card had won the Tokyo City Cup Stakes aboard Privman.
"This afternoon my agent told me we had some good ones today, and he was right," Hernandez said. "All the credit goes to my horse because he broke well and put himself in a nice spot. I was just traveling with him. He wanted to be there and he was happy. All I did, turning for home, was just swing out."
That move took Test Score four wide and gave him a clear path to surge past the leaders. He defeated another closer, Maaz, by 1 1/2 lengths, with Namaron third. The time for the race on firm turf was 1:47.66.
John Amerman was pleased to be able to be present for the victory.
"There are so many tracks on the East Coast," Amerman said. "He bounces around to Saratoga, Belmont at Aqueduct, but it's so nice to have him here on the West Coast."
Motion added blinkers to Test Score's equipment for the race.
"Juan said he settled really nicely with the blinkers," said Alice Clapham, Motion's assistant. "When he came into the stretch and he asked him to go, he just went away with it."
Hernandez was riding Test Score for the first time. Manuel Franco has piloted the colt for most of his starts, including their win in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course and Transylvania Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland.
The Amermans have been involved with Test Score's pedigree for generations. Jerry bred both Test Score and his dam, Joy of Learning, in Kentucky, and John and Jerry bred the second dam, Miss Chapin, also in Kentucky. They raced the third dam, Society Dream, winning the 1998 Ack's Secret Stakes with her at Santa Anita for trainer Neil Drysdale.
Many of the Amermans' horses, as well as others, over the years have benefited from R&R at Peacefield, their farm near Temecula, Calif. It has long been a popular lay-up facility as well as a place for many retired racehorses.
"Peacefield is a great place, and we're so proud of bringing the horses back and making them healthy," John Amerman said.
Joy of Learning has produced three starters, all winners. She has a yearling colt by War of Will and a weanling filly by Liam's Map . The mare has been bred back to Not This Time .
Test Score is by champion Lookin At Lucky, who shuttled for many years to Chile and now stands in that country exclusively. The stallion's Chilean runners have included 2018 Chilean Horse of the Year Wow Cat, who also won the 2018 Beldame Stakes (G1) and ran second in that year's Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1).
