Test Score receives top marks in the Belmont Derby (NYRA/Coglianese)
Mary Eddy/NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Amerman Racing’s Kentucky homebred Test Score aced his second attempt at a Grade 1 victory when storming home a 1 1/4-length winner under Manny Franco in Friday’s featured $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational, a nine-furlong Mellon turf test for sophomores, on Day Two of the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Graham Motion, the son of Lookin At Lucky entered from a game runner-up finish to Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 1 American Turf on May 3 at Churchill Downs, where he finished just 1 1/4 lengths back of the multiple graded stakes-winner. One race prior to the Belmont Derby, the Chad Brown-trained Zulu Kingdom flattered the American Turf form as he took the Grade 3 Manila by three-quarter lengths to improve his lifetime record to 6-for-7.
“We pointed for this race after Churchill,” Motion said. “I was really hoping not to run against Chad’s horse which worked out. He showed the form is very legitimate by winning the previous race. Two nice horses.”
Motion and Amerman teamed up for their second consecutive Belmont Derby score after sending out Trikari to win last year’s edition when contested over 1 3/16 miles at Aqueduct Racetrack.
“To do it two years in a row for Mr. Amerman, I haven’t trained for him for very long, it’s pretty cool – two serious horses,” Motion said.
John Amerman echoed Motion’s sentiments, and praised his work with the talented colt.
“I’m never confident in these Grade 1 races,” Amerman said. “There were an awful lot of good horses in this race, and he endured. So that was good. We will talk with Graham about what race is next.
“He’s an amazing horse. It looks like he is kind of trotting along, in a good position, but then he gets this kick,” Amerman added. “The rest of them lie down, so it was a great race. was terrific, and Graham Motion is a great trainer.”
Test Score faced his farthest test to date, and showed good energy as he emerged from post 5-of-7 to settle in third position as Tank exited the inside post and took his place at the front to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.66 seconds over the firm footing.
New Century tracked in second with Test Score two lengths behind him and a gap back to the rest of the field as Tank rolled through the half-mile in 47.79. Franco had the top pair well-measured, and asked for Test Score to commence his bid just as Oisin Murphy coaxed New Century to the outside of Tank approaching the turn.
Motion said he was surprised to see usual late-runner New Century close up.
“It didn’t look like there was much speed,” Motion said. “I was a little surprised that Oisin went on – it really helped us actually, it put us in a great spot.”
Meanwhile, World Beater pounced from mid-pack to loom large widest of all while Luther split rivals to make his move in tandem, but the race was still Tank’s to lose as he dug in gamely and turned back New Century after three-quarters in 1:11.59. Franco had angled his charge around the embattled duo, and unleashed Test Score to chip away at the lead down the center of the lane with Luther and World Beater to his outside.
“I loved where he was, but I have to be honest – I was a little worried at the top of the stretch, I thought he really wasn’t going anywhere,” Motion said. “He’s got a tendency to do that this horse, but he’s so tenacious, he really doesn’t quit.”
A stubborn Tank refused to yield inside the final eighth, but Test Score proved even more determined as he drew away from the pacesetter and his pursuers to cross the wire first in a sharp final time of 1:45.56.
World Beater kept rolling down the stretch to nab place honors from Luther by a nose with Tank completing the superfecta. New Century and Final Gambit finished fifth in a dead heat with Early Adopter completing the order of finish. Flying Mohawk, who was reported to have had colic surgery on Thursday, was scratched.
Franco, aboard Test Score for five of his seven previous outings, said he was content to bide his time behind the frontrunners.
“I had the trip that I wanted. I knew I was going to be forward, so when I saw those two going, I said, ‘OK, I tuck in a little bit,’” Franco said. “And then on the backside, he was relaxed, taking me the right way, and when he felt the company by the three-eighths pole, I knew he was there for me. So I let him go a little bit because he takes a little bit to get going, but as soon as he gets going, he don’t stop, so that is why he got the win.”
Jaime Torres, jockey of the Riley Mott-trained World Beater, said the last-out Listed Audubon-winner proved his ability in top company.
“I let him break and see where he was. He was feeling great there on the backside,” Torres said. “Maybe I tried to set up a little bit wide and kept him on the bridle and on the turn, I had horses inside of me, trying to push me out. I think he could’ve been a little bit closer, but I don’t think he would’ve beat that horse today. But yeah, it was a lot of fun, and I think in the future that is where he belongs right in Grade 1s.”
Test Score adds to previous graded success in the Grade 3 Transylvania in April at Keeneland, along with three other stakes placings that include his American Turf effort. Test Score is out of the winning Kitten’s Joy mare Joy of Learning, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes-winners Coffee Clique and Admission Office, as well as dual graded stakes-placed Royal Fury and stakes-placed Schoolofhardrocks. He banked $412,500 in victory while returning $8.60 on a $2 win ticket.
Live racing resumes Saturday for Day Three of the July 4th Racing Festival with a 12-race card highlighted by the Grade 1, $500,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational [Race 11]. The stacked program is supported by the Grade 3, $175,000 Sanford [Race 3] and the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso [Race 10]. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.
Statistics for the 37-day Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet will include the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
