Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Solar Flare looks tough in DTHA Owners Day Stakes

After facing Grade I stakes competition in his last two starts, Fox Hill Farms' Solar Flare will be looking to get back into the winners' circle in the $100,000 Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen Association Owners Day Stakes at Delaware Park this Saturday. A field of eleven has been entered in the mile and an eighth test for 3-year-olds and upward. The DTHA Owners Day Stakes is restricted to horses that have started at Delaware Park in 2008.

The last three starts for the Argentina-bred trained by J. Larry Jones have been state side. The 4-year-old son of Salt Lake made his first seven starts in his native country. In his last, he ran seventh in the mile and an eighth $750,000 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on July 26. On June 28, the he ran second in the mile and a quarter $400,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. In his United States debut, he posted ¾-length triumph in the mile and seventy yard allowance at Delaware Park on June 3. He has a career record of four wins and four seconds from ten starts from $146,462.


Solar Flare had a good excuse for his seventh place finish in the Whitney Handicap.

"He sprained an ankle in that race, but we think he should be ready to go in the race this Saturday," said trainer J. Larry Jones. "We worked him the other day and he just did fine, so he is ready. We are looking to take things one step at a time, but we are hoping to use the Owners Day Stakes as a prep for the MassCap. But we still have to run the race this Saturday. We do not want to get to far ahead ourselves. The Owners Day Stakes is a very tough race with some nice horses."

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