August 24 racing highlights: Doctor Mounty favored in Delp

TODAY’S ACTION: Doctor Mounty favored in Buddy Delp Memorial

Doctor Mounty (2-1) crushed Laurel Park allowance foes last out, and that seven-length romp has earned him the nod as morning line favorite in this afternoon’s Buddy Delp Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park, to be contested for three-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.

The Shug McGaughey trainee, a winner of two of six career starts, will have Edgar Prado in the irons.

Larry Jones trainee No Distortion (3-1) enters off a disappointing 10th place finish in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby.  In his prior start, he had cruised to a three-length score in the $100,000 Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park, and he won his only local try by 11 lengths.

Other rivals of note include Dolphus (5-1), a half-brother of Rachel Alexandra who most recently was fifth in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga; Maryland Juvenile Futurity winner Ravenheart (12-1); and Flash McCaul (10-1), second three times in stakes company…

A pair of races for claimers of varying prices will be contested at the identical sprint distance of 5 1/2-furlongs on the main track at Penn National on the latter half of the card on Wednesday evening and both offer some interesting clashes.

In the fifth, a one-turn dash for $7/8,000 claimers, the Tim Kreiser-trained entry of Honour The Forest and I’m Zonin, lined at 5-2, will break from posts three and seven, respectively, and this tandem could complete the exacta. Honour The Forest was fifth at Delaware Park on August 4 in his most recent start but returns to the site of his most recent victory on June 11. I’m Zonin, who began his career against maiden special weight company at Santa Anita 18 months ago, has won his last two starts and three of seven overall this year for Kreiser but does arrive having been idle for two months.

Then one race later in another 5 1/2-furlong sprint on the main track but for $4,000 claimers, a pair of horses that are not accustomed to winning frequently both drew well and they could very well complete the exacta in this one-turn affair.
Decesion Point (7-2), an eight-year-old E Dubai gelding owned and trained by Patricia Farro, owns a May 10 victory at Parx from seven starts this year, but he has been second four times after ending the 2015 campaign with a pair of runner-up efforts. He does sport a solid 9-10-12 slate and $208,000 bankroll from 56 lifetime outings, so Decesion Point is not a career bridesmaid despite his recent record and could prevail from post eight.

Just to his outside in post nine is Raw Talent (3-1), who boasts a May 27 victory as his lone tally from eight tries this year and has been second in each of his last three outings over the Penn National strip for trainer Brandon Kulp. This four-year-old Genuine Talent gelding owns a solid 5-5-6 slate and $87,000 bankroll from 34 career starts so he could easily join Decesion Point in topping the exacta or completing it.