Thursday, September 25, 2008

DELIGHTFUL KISS AMONG SEVEN ENTRANTS IN $200,000 ALL AMERICAN STAKES AT GGF

ALBANY -- Breeders' Cup bound Delightful Kiss will face six opponents Saturday at Golden Gate Fields in the $200,000 All American Stakes, the richest race of the fall season.

The Grade 3 All American will be run at 1 1/8-miles and Delightful Kiss is using the race as a prep for the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon, a 1 1/2-mile contest that will have its inaugural running Oct. 25 at Santa Anita.

Delightful Kiss guaranteed himself a spot in the Breeders' Cup Marathon lineup by winning the Grade 3 Turfway Park Fall Championship on Sept. 6. A 1 1/2-mile race, the Fall Championship was a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win And You're In" event.


Delightful Kiss not only won the Fall Championship, he set a Turfway Park track record in the process, covering 1 1/2-miles in 2:32.25. The Fall Championship was the third major stakes victory for Delightful Kiss, who won the Ohio Derby and Iowa Derby last year.

Trained by former jockey Pete Anderson and based at Churchill Downs, Delightful Kiss is a 4-year-old gelding who has won five of his 19 career starts and $577,087. Delightful Kiss will be ridden by Calvin Borel, who won the 2007 Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense.

The field for the All American, in post position order, is as follows: Saratoga's Magic, Roberto Gonzalez will ride; Delightful Kiss, Borel; Our Partner, William Antongeorgi III; Asperity, Julio Garcia; Victorian Prince, Frank Alvarado; Assessment, Kyle Kaenel; and Awesome Gem, Russell Baze. All of the starters will carry 123 pounds.

Post time Saturday is 12:45 p.m. and fans attending the track will receive a free Golden Gate Fields sweatshirt. Post time for the All American, the third event on a 10-race program, is 1:45 p.m.

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