Smooth Like Strait pulls clear to win Twilight Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Umberto Rispoli is undefeated in two rides aboard Smooth Like Strait, the latest success in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby on Sunday at Santa Anita.

Rispoli expects the winning streak to continue.

“This is a nice horse,” Rispoli said.

In the $202,000 Twilight Derby, Smooth Like Strait stalked pacesetter Dominant Soul for the first seven furlongs before taking the lead in early stretch.

Sent off favored, Smooth Like Strait ($4.60) pulled clear in early stretch and won by 1 1/2 lengths over 7-1 Scarto, finishing 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46.89. Smooth Like Strait earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 93.

Rispoli rode Smooth Like Strait for the first time in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Aug. 9 at Del Mar. In that race, Smooth Like Strait briefly set the pace, was passed by a rival, and took a commanding lead in the stretch before winning by 2 1/2 lengths.

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Rispoli noticed a change in Smooth Like Strait in the Twilight Derby. The colt displayed more patience.

“He comes back now and you can put him where you want,” Rispoli said.

“At the three-eighths pole, I was loaded and when I took the lead he was looking around. I smacked him on the shoulder and he was gone.”

Scarto, a minor stakes winner on turf at Gulfstream Park in February, had his graded stakes debut in the Twilight Derby. Trained by Mike Puype, Scarto closed from sixth in a field of nine in the final three furlongs to finish three-quarters of a length in front of 3-1 Field Pass.

“He ran very well,” Puype said. “No complaints about that.”

Kiss Today Goodbye, a 26-1 outsider, finished fourth, followed by Farmington Road, K P All Systems Go, Margot’s Boy, Express Train, and Dominant Soul.

Field Pass, winner of the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland in July and three other stakes earlier in the year, had his first start in California in the Twilight Derby. Trained in Kentucky by Mike Maker, Field Pass was third in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, a race in which Smooth Like Strait was fourth as the 6-5 favorite.

Smooth Like Strait, by Midnight Lute, has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $397,823. Owned by Cannon Thoroughbreds and trained by Michael McCarthy, Smooth Like Strait has won four stakes, including the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar last December.

Smooth Like Strait is likely to start in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Nov. 28 at Del Mar.

Kalypso gets first win in Anoakia Stakes

Kalypso, third and second in maiden special weight races at Del Mar during the summer, won her stakes debut, and first race, in Sunday’s $77,950 Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Kalypso ($11.60) led throughout the six-furlong race, winning by 2 1/4 lengths over 6-5 favorite Queengol. At Del Mar on Sept. 5, Queengol and Kalypso were first and second, separated by a half-length, in a race at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Kalypso was timed in 1:11.60 after setting early fractions of 22.17 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.14 for a half-mile. Kalypso earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 78.

Queengol was third on the backstretch. She finished a half-length in front of 6-1 Illumination who was followed by Forest Caraway and Needless to Say in the small field.

Kalypso, by Brody’s Cause, was purchased for $240,000 as a yearling and races for Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen and trainer Bob Baffert.

Illumination is trained by Baffert, who had four wins on Sunday’s 10-race program.

In the final race, a maiden special weight race for 2-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs, Baffert finished first and second with Private Mission ($4) and 5-2 Frosteria.

Private Mission, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, pulled clear to win by 1 3/4 lengths, in 1:16.82 in an attractive debut.