Twilight Gleaming the Short Favorite in Coronation Cup
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Photo: Coady Photography
Twilight Gleaming wins the Mamzelle Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs
Stonestreet Stables' Twilight Gleaming made an impression across multiple continents as a 2-year-old last year, culminating with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T), and will make her Saratoga Race Course debut in the July 15 $150,000 Coronation Cup Stakes for sophomore fillies sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the Mellon turf course.
The Wesley Ward trainee, who has posted four wins and three second-place efforts in seven career starts, received a five-month freshening following her half-length victory over Go Bears Go in the five-furlong Breeders' Cup contest. After finishing second in the 5 1/2-furlong Palisades Stakes in April at Keeneland, Twilight Gleaming earned a return winner's circle trip by edging Devine Charger by a head in the five-furlong Mamzelle Overnight Stakes May 14 at Churchill Downs.
Ward said he's excited to see the Irish-bred National Defense filly build on that effort as she ramps up for what he hopes is another memorable campaign for Stonestreet Stables owner Barbara Banke.
"She looks great in training and we're thrilled to get her back out there, and I'm especially excited for Barbara Banke," Ward said. "She's had some great success so far and we're looking forward to building on that."
Twilight Gleaming, a maiden winner at second asking in May 2021 at Belmont Park, followed with a runner-up effort in the Queen Mary (G2) one month later at Ascot. She captured the Prix de la Vallee d'Auge in August at Deauville in France ahead of her Breeders' Cup coup.
Twilight Gleaming has breezed three times on Saratoga's Oklahoma turf training course, including a bullet five-furlong effort in :59.44 on July 4.
"She looked very impressive in that breeze," Ward said.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride from post 3.
Waterville Lake Stables' Derrynane , who ran a competitive fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in finishing just one length off the winner, will get a return engagement with Twilight Gleaming for trainer Christophe Clement.
The New York-homebred kicked off 2022 with a second-place effort in the TVG Limestone Stakes in April at Keeneland before running fifth in the Soaring Softly Stakes (G3T) in May at Belmont. Last out, Derrynane ran third in the June 19 Stormy Blues Stakes at Laurel Park while carrying a field-high 122 pounds.
"Even though she finished third last time, I thought it was a nice race," Clement said. "She had plenty of weight on and ran a good race. I'm excited to run her back. I just hope the ground stays on the fast side. She's doing very well."
Silverton Hill's Static Fire will move up to stakes competition for the first time after winning her first two races for trainer Brian Lynch. A daughter of Speightster , she won on turf in her September debut at the Spa and made her seasonal bow with a 1 3/4-length win on the Churchill main track in May.
Saratoga Race Course, Friday, July 15, 2022, Race 8Entries: Coronation Cup S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Marissa's Lady (KY)
Kendrick Carmouche
122
William E. Morey
8/1
2
2Benbang (KY)
Manuel Franco
120
Jonathan Thomas
20/1
3
3Twilight Gleaming (IRE)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
Wesley A. Ward
2/1
4
4Artos (IRE)
Jose Lezcano
118
George R. Arnold, II
10/1
5
5Sweet Solare (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
120
Horacio De Paz
50/1
6
6Derrynane (NY)
Joel Rosario
122
Christophe Clement
5/1
7
7Static Fire (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Brian A. Lynch
8/1
8
8Poppy Flower (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
122
William I. Mott
6/1
9
9Lady Scarlet (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
124
Michael J. Maker
15/1
10
10Mystic Eyes (KY)
Luis Saez
122
Todd A. Pletcher
15/1
11
11Empress Tigress (KY)
John R. Velazquez
118
Jonathan Thomas
6/1
12
12Everyoneloveslinda (KY)
Eric Cancel
120
Edward R. Barker
15/1
