Twilight Gleaming Heading to California

Stonestreet Stables' Twilight Gleaming  is off to California.

The 3-year-old filly was loaded onto a van outside of trainer Wesley Ward's barn at Saratoga Race Course July 21 and was headed to Del Mar, where she will run in the $100,000 Daisycutter Handicap July 29.

Ward said the decision to head west came a few days ago. Twilight Gleaming, by National Defense , won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) last year and was supposed to run in the $150,000 Coronation Cup at Saratoga July 15.

Twilight Gleaming, the 2-1 morning line favorite in the Coronation Cup, was scratched because of some inflammation caused after an exercise rider tightened the girth too tightly before a July 10 gallop at the Spa. 

Ward did not see another race on the Saratoga calendar for Twilight Gleaming.

"When you get these horses ready to run and there is no race, you have to scramble to find a race within that time frame," Ward said at his barn July 21. "You have to come with a plan B or an audible. She is ready to go."

Ward said under normal circumstances, he would fly to California to saddle Twilight Gleaming.

There is a major reason why he will be staying at Saratoga.

"I will be breezing Golden Pal  that day," Ward said, referring to the horse he says is the best he has ever trained. "I have to stay here at Saratoga because when that horse comes out of his stall, I want to be right beside him."

The Daisycutter Handicap is for fillies and mares, 3 and up and will be run at five furlongs. The Coronation Cup was 5 1/2 furlongs. This is the first time Twilight Gleaming will face older horses. Ward said a jockey has yet to be determined for the Daisycutter.