Test Score

Test Score, a Lookin At Lucky colt homebred by Jerry and Joan Amerman, finished second and fifth in his first two starts, both on turf at Saratoga, and then graduated with a late rally in a one-mile turf maiden Oct. 1, 2024, at Keeneland. He was then shipped to Del Mar for a stakes debut in the one-mile Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes in November and came up a neck short to Chasing Liberty after making another closing move.

The Graham Motion trainee returned for his 3-year-old bow and finished a rallying third in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes Feb. 1, 2025, at Gulfstream Park. He then returned to the course where he earned his first win and put it all together in the Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select on April 7, rolling from off the pace to win the 1 1/16-mile turf event by 1 ¼ lengths.

Following a runner-up finish behind Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 1 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 3, Test Score was back in the winner's circle again in his next start which came in the Grade 1 $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on the grass at Saratoga on July 4. Sent off as the 3.30-1 third choice in the race in a field of seven in the Belmont Derby, Test Score stalked the pace and was able to challenge the leaders and seize control of the race in deep stretch. He drew off late to win by 1 1/4 lengths under jockey Manny Franco.

After his Grade 1 win in the Belmont Derby Invitational, Test Score remained in races at the highest level for 3-year-old grass horses the rest of the summer but was only mildly successful with a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes on Aug. 2 and then fourth in the rich $2.6 million Grade 3  DK Horse Nashville Derby Invitational Stakes on Aug. 30 at Kentucky Downs.

Test Score got a change of scenery for his next outing, and it paid off when he shipped to California and won the Grade 2 $200,000 Twilight Derby going 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Santa Anita where he topped a six-horse field as the 3-5 favorite under jockey Juan Hernandez. Subsequently, Test Score concluded his 3-year-old campaign with another start on the west coast in which he settled for third, beaten a half a length in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby going 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 29.

Test Score returned back east for the first start of his 4-year-old season and was back in the winner's circle in style with a victory in the Grade 1 $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational going 1 1/8 miles on the grass on Jan. 24, 2026, at Gulfstream Park. In the Pegasus Turf, Test Score pressed the pace up-close all the way and got an ideal ride and trip under jockey Manny Franco, bursting to the lead in the stretch and prevailing by a neck. 

Searching for his next win as a follow-up to the Pegasus World Cup Turf, Test Score made the rounds of Grade 1 turf features around the country including a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Resorts World Manhattan Stakes on July 6. Test Score finally got his next major victory when he scored in the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Handicap going 1 3/8 miles on the turf at Del Mar on Aug. 29, 2026. Test Score won by a neck and knocked off an 11-horse field that included four-time Del Mar Handicap winner Golden Phoenix. The Del Mar Handicap was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" qualifying race and with his victory, he earned a fees-paid berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Test Score is out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Joy of Learning, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 turf winner Coffee Clique and Grade 3 turf winner Admission Office.