The Lead:
The weekend's graded stakes don't end with the Breeders' Cup. Sunday's Santa Anita feature, the $200K Grade 2 Twilight Derby, sends us out with another hit. This race has been a fixture of Breeders' Cup weekends on the west coast and his year flies solo as a Sunday main event. It's closing day of the Santa Anita meeting with a $30K pick 6 carryover and mandatory payout.

​​Field Depth:
PROLETARIAT has the field's signature win in the Graded 2 Del Mar Derby (pictured). UNRIVALVED TIME was a Grade 3 winner last fall. Those 2 have kept the toughest stretngth of schedule.
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Pace:
Over 1-1/8 miles on turf, expect front-running PROLETARIAT to dictate from the rail and looks to be heavily advantaged as lone speed.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

1-PROLETARIAT: Good 2YO last year has totally blossomed in 3 starts this year, winning all in front-running fashion. Has won at both Santa Anita and Del Mar and at that distance. Tough to poke holes in for this assignment for a Jeff Mullions barn that's red-hot.

2-MELISMATIC: Back-to-back turf mile wins set this one up for the class rise in the Del Mar Derby but he never really closed with any oomph. Phil D'Amato trainee bred to be a miler and may be best over that trip 220 yards shorter than this.

3-TRIBALISM: Outkicked in allowance mile at Del Mar late by MELISMATIC and, like that one, offered little fanfare in the Del Mar Derby on the rise and stretch-out. Switches riders to Jamie Spencer but will have to turn the tables on MELISMATIC before even considering bigger prizes.

4-ESSOS: Mark Glatt trainee got his first turf win stretching out to 1-1/4 miles at Santa Anita on Oct. 18 and now tries turf stakes company for the first time. Has twice beaten older horses and that's a feather in the cap this time of year back against only sophomores. Distance will be no issue, but gives a ton of pace to PROLETARIAT and would need some help to soften that one up to beat him.

5-UNRIVALED TIME: Late-running Del Mar Derby fourth was much closer that day to PROLETARIAT than in the Oceanside over a mile. He's a 9-furlong winner on turf in the Cal-bred Snow Chief Stakes and definitely suited for the distance. Joel Rosario takes over the mount for the first time.

6-PATH TO POWER: Formidable Phil D'Amato-Juan Hernandez team puts this distance-pedigreed gelding into stakes for the first time. He has been battling older horses over 9 and 11 furlongs and should match up well with these despite the class rise.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
PROLETARIAT is the obvious horse to beat and difficult to imagine running off the ticket.

Best Longshot Contender:
ESSOS is equipped for the trip and the Glatt-Rispoli team has been a successful pairing.
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Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$50 Exacta part-wheel PROLETARIAT over PATH TO POWER and ESSOS.
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