For Our Rombauer, Sunshine Included, first win, first stake one and same
Trainer Keith Nations, trainer of Our Rombauer, at Delaware Park. Photo by HoofprintsInc.com.
by Frank Vespe
A pair of juveniles killed two birds with one stone today at Delaware Park, making their first career wins their first stakes wins. Both came in races restricted to Delaware-certified runners.
Four of the six stakes were for Delaware-certified runners, including a pair for juveniles.
In the $75,000 Small Wonder, for Del-certified juvy fillies, A Delaperriere Stables Sunshine Included notched her first career stake victory in front-running fashion.
With Erick Rodriguez aboard, the 2-year-old daughter of Include won by four lengths and returned $13.00. The 8-to-5 favorite in the field of five, Hailey’s Flip with Gabriel Saez, was fractious before the race, got away slowly, and finished second. It was another 6 1/2-lengths further back to Cat Giumarello, with Scott Spieth, in third.
Sunshine Included cut early fractions of :22.19 for the quarter mile and :45.65 for the half mile before completing the five and half furlongs in 1:03.99 over a fast main track. She was one of four horses in the day’s six stakes to lead at every call en route to a win.
The Maryland-bred trained by Anthony Pecoraro raised her career record to a win from two starts with earnings of $53,400. She had finished second, against Maryland-bred maidens, in her only prior start.
Four races later, Our Rombauer did Sunshine Included one better, winning his first stake in the very first race of his career. United Racing Stable’s Our Rombaurer rallied to win the Delaware-bred or -certified $75,000 First State Dash at Delaware Park by a half-length.
With Daniel Centeno aboard, the 2-year-old son of Majestic Warrior returned $5.60 as the favorite in the field of six. Though making his debut, he had recorded bullet works in three of his last five breezes prior to today. Howboutthemcowboys, with Brian Pedroza, finished second. It was another 1 ¾-lengths further back to Bronx Sandman with Gabriel Saez in third.
Another firster, Michael Gorham’s Loconotion, led the field through sharp early fractions of 21.43 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.09 for the half before fading to fifth.
Our Rombauer, a Pennsylvania-bred trained by Keith Nations, ran the five and a half furlongs in 1:04.70 over a fast main track.
