Saturday, August 22 2009

Southern Truth scores first career stake win in Small Wonder Stakes

Wilmington, Del., August 22, 2009 - Bill and Vicki Poston's Southern Truth notched her first career stake victory in convincing fashion in the $75,000 Small Wonder Stakes at Delaware Park today. The Small Wonder was restricted to Delaware bred or certified 2-year-old fillies.

With Delaware Park's leading jockey David Cohen aboard, Southern Truth led from gate to wire before posting a 2 3/4-length victory. The daughter of Yes It's True returned $2.40 as the favorite in the field of six and she covered the five furlongs in :58.77 over a sloppy sealed main track. Smooth Talking, with Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr., finished second. It was another 9-lengths farther back to Royal Camp, with Clinton Potts, in third.

Wednesday, August 19 2009

Superfecta rule changed to allow wagering on six horse fields

Wilmington, Del., August 19, 2009 —Delaware Park announced today that it has changed its rule governing Superfecta wagering at the Stanton oval. A winning Superfecta bet must select the first four horses across the finish line in the exact order.

Four Delaware Certified Stakes Highlight Saturday Card

August 18, 2009, Wilmington, DE - -Four Delaware Bred or Certified Stake stakes races highlight the live racing action at Delaware Park this Saturday.

The exciting stakes races include the Tax Free Shopping for fillies and mares at six furlongs, the New Castle for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs, the Small Wonder for 2-year-old fillies at five furlongs on the turf and the First State Dash for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on the grass. Each race will carry a purse of $75,000 and each is restricted to Delaware bred or Delaware Certified horses.

Sunday, August 02 2009

Big day for leading jockey David Cohen

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, August 1 – David Cohen, the current leading jockey at Delaware Park, notched four winners from his six mounts at Delaware Park today. His first victory cam astride Ski Ensign, a 4-year-old Kentucky bred trained by Steve Klesaris, in the third race. In the sixth race, he was victorious aboard Tri Power, a 4-year-old Florida-bred trained by Michael Murray. He followed by scoring aboard Seneca Summer, an 8-year-old Texas-bred trained by Cody Autrey, in the seventh race. Cohen recorded his fourth victory of the day in the eighth race aboard No Mine for Me, a 5-year-old Virginia-bred trained by Steve Klesaris.

Monday, July 20 2009

Swift Temper wins Delaware Handicap in front running fashion

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, July 18 - Mark Stanley's Swift Temper won the $1 million Grade II Delaware Handicap in front running fashion at Delaware Park today.

With Alan Garcia aboard, the 5-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway won by 2 ¼-lengths after cutting early fractions of :49.83 for a half mile and 1:14.79 for the three-quarters mile. She completed the mile and a quarter on fast main track in 2:03.41 and returned $17.00.

Swift Temper wins Delaware Handicap in front running fashion

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, July 18 - Mark Stanley's Swift Temper won the $1 million Grade II Delaware Handicap in front running fashion at Delaware Park today.

With the Delaware Handicap victory, Swift Temper earned an automatic berth into the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Santa Anita on November 6 through the Breeders' Cup Challenge series .

Our Edge scores in Barbaro Stakes

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, July 18 - "Robert LaPenta's Our Edge cruised to an easy victory in the $150,000 Grade III Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park today. With Alan Garcia aboard, the 3-year-old son of The Cliff's Edge won by 7-lengths and covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:43.70 over a fast main track. The 2-to-1 favorite in the field of eleven, It Happened Again with Gabriel Saez, finished second. It was a 1 ¼-lengths farther back to Denver, with Jeremy Rose in third.

The Barbaro was the first graded stakes victory for the Florida-bred trained by Nick Zito. In his previous outing, he notched a head score in the $70,000 Coranado Quest at Monmouth Park on June 20.

Wednesday, July 15 2009

DELPARK NEWS & NOTES - BARBARO & LIGHT HEARTED ADVANCES

Course could favor Denver in Barbaro Stakes

July 15, 2009, Wilmington, DE- The Delaware Park main track may be an advantage to Donald and Mary Zuckerman's Denver when he faces eleven rivals in the $150,000 Grade III Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park this Sunday. The mile and a sixteenth test for 3-year-olds is named after the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner who notched his first lifetime victory in his career debut the previous year at Delaware Park.

While Denver has never faced stakes competition, the son Fusaichi Pegasus hails from the top stable of Tood Pletcher and is two-for-two over the Delaware main track.

Delaware Park Announces 2009 Wall of Fame Inductees

Wilmington, Del., July 15, 2009 — Five of horse racing’s finest are being honored today with their induction into the Delaware Park Wall of Fame.

The class of 2009 consists of Spectacular Bid, Carl Hanford, Eddie Arcaro, Brandywine Stable and Baird Brittingham. Each inductee represents one of the following categories: horse, trainer, jockey, owner, and non-participant, respectively.

Unbridled Belle tops Delaware Handicap

July 15, 2009, Wilmington, DE- July 15, 2009, Wilmington, DE- Team Valor Stable's Unbridled Belle tops a field of seven in the 72nd renewal of the $1 million Grade II Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park on Sunday, July 19. The Del 'Cap will have an approximate post time of 5:35 p .m. The race is the highlight of the Delaware Park Festival of Racing at the Wilmington oval.

For the second straight year , the mile and a quarter classic for fillies and mares has been designated as a "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge race with the winner automatically qualifying for the Ladies' Classic on November 6.

Malibu Prayer looks for first career stakes victory in the $250,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, July 14 - Malibu Prayer, who ran second to Rachel Alexandra in her last outing in the Grade I Mother Goose Stakes, will seek her first career stakes victory in the $250,000 Grade II Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park on July 18. The Virginia-bred, owned by James M. Dina, BDL Stables and Phantom House, previously won a mile and a sixth allowance at Philadelphia Park by 7 1/4 lengths before falling to this year's Preakness winner in the mile and a sixteenth stakes race at Belmont Park on June 27.

The mile and a sixteenth Delaware Oaks has been carded as the seventh race with an approximate post time of 3:57 pm. The race is part of the Delaware Park Festival Weekend of Racing, which also includes the $1 million Delaware Handicap on July 19. This weekend, the Delaware Park races, will have a total purse of more than $1.675 million.

Monday, July 13 2009

DELCAP NEWS & NOTES - July 13, 2009

Wilmington, Del., July 13, 2009 — Some horses are born to run fast on dirt. Star Crown Stable's Icon Project showed her pedigree by racing to her first stakes win in her first race on the dirt at the Grade III New York at Belmont on June 20. On Sunday, she will take to the dirt again in the mile and a quarter $1 million Delaware Handicap.

In her previous eight outings, three in North America and five in England, the 4-year-old daughter Kentucky-bred daughter of Empire Maker had a record of two wins, a second, and two thirds with earnings. Her lifetime record is three wins, a second and two thirds from nine starts with earnings of $220,995.