'Twilight' captures Miami Mile

MIAMI - Trainer David Fawkes made two important decisions shortly after Twilight Road's fifth-place finish in the Smile Sprint Handicap on July 10. He would freshen his horse and train him up to the $150,000 , and he would start Twilight Road whether the Grade 3 race went on turf or dirt at Calder.

Fawkes' strategies returned big dividends on Saturday, when Twilight Road rallied from just off the pace to win the Miami Mile by a half-length over Gold Dollar. The race had originally been scheduled for Labor Day but was postponed because of Hurricane Frances and ultimately decided over a yielding turf course.

The victory was the first on grass for Twilight Road, a 7-year-old son of Cahill Road, and came in only his second career start on the turf. Owned by the Donamire Farm, Twilight Road returned $12.60 after covering a mile in 1:39.56 seconds under jockey Phil Teator.

Twilight Road tracked the early pace of Hear No Evil from along the hedge, came through a narrow opening between the tiring pacesetter and Paradise Dancer to challenge near midstretch, then outfinished a surging Gold Dollar. Gold Dollar followed the winner along the rail leaving the final turn and was going best of all at the end.

Unbridels King, the tepid 3-1 favorite in a scratch-reduced field of nine, was hung wide throughout and finished a well-beaten eighth. Built Up was eased through the stretch.

The victory was the 11th in 44 career starts for Twilight Road, who also won the Grade 3 Memorial Day Handicap over the main track earlier in the meet.

"We'll consider all the options now," said Fawkes, "because obviously he can handle turf or dirt."

R Obsession wins Judy's Red Shoes

R Obsession, whose form has continued to improve throughout the summer, ran the best race of her career to capture Saturday's $75,000 Judy's Red Shoes Stakes by a half-length over a fast-finishing Coquinerie. Shorey Village, the 4-5 favorite in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies, raced within easy striking distance to the stretch but lacked a rally and finished another length back in third.

R Obsession, a daughter of Notebook, paid a generous $28.20 despite coming into the race with a win and second-place finish in her only two previous appearances on the grass. Leading rider Eddie Castro was aboard the winner for trainer Tim Ritvo.

"The Calder Oaks is the goal now," said Ritvo, who trains R Obsession for the A. Kales Company.