Dark Nile shines bright in Delaware Oaks

by | Jul 9, 2016 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

Delaware Park

From a Delaware Park release

WinStar Farm’s Dark Nile splashed to victory in the $300,000 Grade III Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park today.

With Daniel Centeno aboard, the daughter of Pioneerof the Nile notched a 1 ¼-length score and returned $7.00 as the third choice in the field of eight. A Place to Shine, with Brian Pedroza, finished second. It was another 1 ¼-lengths further back to Kinsley Kisses in third. The 2-to-1 favorite, Browse with Edgar Prado, finished seventh.

Dark Nile ran the mile and a sixteenth over a sloppy track in 1:46.54. The Pennsylvania-bred trained by Arnaud Delacour raised her record to four wins from five starts with earnings of $243,000.  Dark Nile has never lost a two-turn race.

In her previous outing, Dark Nile notched a 1 ½-length victory in the $50,000 Our Mims Stakes at Delaware Park on June 8.

Before the race, torrential rain hit the area which caused a delay in the start of the race which downgraded the main track to sloppy.

“Before the weather, we were planning on breaking, settling, follow the speed and making one run, but after the weather, I did not want to be far back,” said winning rider Daniel Centeno. “Down the backside she was dragging me. She was getting a little tired in the end, but they may been because we started a little early. But she was dragging me.”