Twilight Eclipse tries Mac Diarmida for fourth time

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Grade 2 Mac Diarmida here on Saturday will mark the 2016 debut of the 7-year-old Twilight Eclipse, who will make his fourth appearance in the 1 3/8-mile turf event for 4-year-olds and up. Twilight Eclipse won the race in 2014 and finished second a year ago.

Last year, Twilight Eclipse won the Grade 1 Man o’ War at Belmont Park and finished third in three other Grade 1 races – the United Nations at Monmouth, the Sword Dancer at Saratoga, and the Turf Classic at Belmont.

“He’s been working steadily,” said trainer Tom Albertrani. “He’s doing fantastic, as good as I’ve ever seen this horse train. For 7 years old, he’s just doing super, and hopefully we’ll have another good year with him. Looking back over the last couple of years, there are several races you could surely make a case there was very little difference between winning and losing, a couple of times he’s gotten himself in a bind, got pinched back here, pinched back there, but the horse, he tries all the time. We’ll probably put him on the same schedule this year, and hopefully with a little racing luck, this time he can win some of the races he didn’t over the last couple of seasons.”

The expected rivals for Twilight Eclipse are All Included, Da Big Hoss, Grand Tito, Kaigun, and Mr Maybe.

The loss of three eligible horses to the Payson Park herpes quarantine will leave an expected field of six for the Grade 3 The Very One here on Saturday. They are three from trainer Chad Brown – Dacita, Guapaza, and Olorda – as well as Al’s Gal, Kitzy’s Rocket, and the supplemental nominee Quiet Kitten.

The Very One is a 1 3/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.