Twilight Gleaming has several speedsters to deal with in Daisycutter

Never mind that she faced some of the world’s best sprinters, Twilight Gleaming left trainer Wesley Ward surprised when she finished 16th of 17 in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot in England last month.

“It was a little bit of a head-scratcher,” Ward said Wednesday. “Being a Group 1 race at Royal Ascot, you can forgive that. That was the only race she’s run badly in her whole career.”

Twilight Gleaming returned to Kentucky days after the King’s Stand Stakes and was sent to Del Mar earlier this month for Friday’s $100,000 Daisycutter Handicap for fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf.

Owned by Stonestreet Stable, Twilight Gleaming drew the rail in what should be a hectic running of the Daisycutter. Twilight Gleaming, who will be ridden by Mike Smith, is quick enough to lead, but could race as a stalker behind ultra-quick runners such as Sassy Nature, Wide West, and Secrets Told.

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“Mike Smith will play the break,” Ward said. “If some of those other fillies want to go, he can sit there.”

Twilight Gleaming has won 6 of 11 starts, including two starts at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar – the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in 2021 and the 2022 Daisycutter. She disputed the pace in both of those wins.

In her last start in the United States, Twilight Gleaming stalked the early pace in the Giant’s Causeway Stakes for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on April 15 at Keeneland, took the lead in the stretch, and won by 1 1/2 lengths.

The 3-year-old Sassy Nature is fast enough to lead the Daisycutter. Trained by Luis Mendez, Sassy Nature was second in the Dream of Summer Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf on June 11 at Golden Gate Fields in her first start against older runners.

Sassy Nature led throughout the Melody of Colors Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at five furlongs on turf at Gulfstream Park in March, her most recent win.

Wide West was fifth in the Melody of Colors, but has since won two turf sprints, including the Roar Stakes against 3-year-old males at five furlongs on May 20 at Gulfstream Park. This will be her first start against older fillies and mares.

Those fillies will be closely followed by capable stalkers such as Amy C, Princess Adaleigh, and Xmas Surprise, who have all performed well in turf sprints this year.

A quick tempo will help Unbridled Mary, who won the Chicken Fried Stakes for fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf on June 24 at Lone Star Park, closing from last of eight.

Unbridled Mary worked five furlongs in 59 seconds on July 21 at Del Mar, an exercise that convinced trainer John Sadler that the 4-year-old filly had recovered from the trip to Texas.

“I thought I would give her more time coming out of Texas because of the heat,” Sadler said. “She’s been so super and she’s really bounced out of the race well.”

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