Steve Margolis, Neil Howard, Brad Cox, Robert O’Connor, Wallace Dollase and Helen Pitts-Blasi are among the new outfits shifting their operations east to Delaware Park this summer.
Trainer Robert O’Connor will have approximately a dozen horses at Delaware Park.
“I grew up in Kentucky,” said trainer Robert O’Connor. “I have moved around in my career a lot. Having a stable of about 15 horses, it is just not conducive for us to stay at Churchill and ship to Arlington Park, Ellis Park and Presque Isle during the summer months. I have raced in Tampa for the last few years. I picked up a couple clients down there. While I was in Tampa this past winter, Delaware Park sent a contingent. It was Jed (Doro, assistant racing secretary) and John (Mooney, executive director of racing). They were down there for a while and I spoke with them a couple of different times. They asked me if I ever thought about relocating. I told them I am a good old Kentucky boy and I had to go to the Churchill meet, but they asked me to keep Delaware Park on my mind. I am looking forward to coming to Delaware. I hear a lot of good things about the race track and there are a lot of good things happening at Delaware.”
Neil Howard will be bringing approximately 22 horses, Helen Pitts-Blasi will have approximately ten, Wallace Dollase will have approximately ten, and Brad Cox will have approximately a dozen, including a possible Delaware Handicap contender in Temple Street, who recently ran third in the Grade II Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs on June 13.
