By Jessica Martini
Peter Redekop's Anothertwistafate (Scat Daddy), impressive winner of the Feb. 16 El Camino Real Derby, is expected to make his next start in the Mar. 24 GIII Sunland Park Derby.
“That's where we are leaning,” trainer Blaine Wright confirmed Tuesday. “Unless something changes drastically, that's where we'll go.”
Anothertwistafate has now won three straight races over Golden Gate's synthetic surface, all in front-running fashion. He graduated by four lengths going 1 1/16 miles Dec. 9 and added a five-length one-mile allowance tally Jan. 4. The handsome dark bay made his stakes debut in the nine-furlong El Camino Real Derby and came home a resounding seven-length victor (video).
“He was training super all along and we were pleased he put it all together,” Wright said of that effort. “Of course, you don't go into a $100 grander expecting that, but he answered a lot of questions.”
In addition to its $800,000 purse, the Sunland Park Derby offers the winner 50 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Derby. But a berth in the Kentucky Derby isn't the only goal for Anothertwistafate, who earned a spot in the GI Preakness S. starting gate with his El Camino Real Derby win.
“Looking at last year, running first or second [at Sunland] should get into the Derby,” Wright said. “So if he runs great there and we get into the Derby, that's great. But if he doesn't, we'll regroup. The timing of the race will be good because it will give us time to get a race at Golden Gate to prep and to possibly go to the Preakness.”
The Sunland Park Derby will be Anothertwistafate's second race over conventional dirt. He was a well-beaten ninth on debut at Santa Anita Nov. 3, but Wright is willing to forgive that lackluster performance.
“I'm going to draw a line through that race,” he said. “It was the first race of his life and it was a sprint and he's not a sprinter. We have to find out how he gets over it. But right now, I'm not worried about it.”
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