Delaware Park Racing Notebook, Vol. 8

by | Aug 2, 2017 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing, Top Stories

Master Plan

Master Plan won the Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park. Photo by Kathleen O’Leary.

by Doug McCoy

Every week during the Delaware Park racing season, The Racing Biz will publish The Delaware Park Racing Notebook. This page is designed to give helpful information to both horseplayers and horsemen about the racing picture at Delaware Park from the past week.

In the notebook, you’ll find:

  • “Horses to watch” section highlighting both horses who have shown promise those who may have had poor “trips” in their last starts.
  • “Clocker’s Corner” where track clockers will point out horses who have worked in noteworthy fashion during the past week.
  • Track tendencies or biases during the week’s races. While it would be great if every race track was completely fair and even and an equal number of speed horses, stalkers, and closers won each day, observant handicappers know this just isn’t the case. Every track’s tendencies and biases (favored styles) change and vary, often from one racing program to the next due to any number of factors, most notably weather. While these changes are often minor, there are also days where a certain type of horse (like a speed horse) has a decided advantage, and there also days where one portion of the racing strip is a better spot to race over (like the inside) than another.
  • Leading trainers and jocks and who’s been hot during the last week.

HORSES TO WATCH

  • SURVIVE – First time starter from the Keith Nations barn broke slow in debut then was well wide while rallying from last to challenge the heavy favorite through the lane before just hanging late. With a better break next time this one should be hard to beat.
  • CELTIC MOON – Raced the competition into defeat before drawing away late in his last for the overachieving Darien Rodriguez barn. This one looks like he could handle a raise in class.
  • SPLIT THE UPRIGHTS – Beat a solid field of maiden special weight types while racing the six furlongs in 1:10.48. This Hernan Parra trainee may have a future.
  • JACOB’S TUNE – First time starter from veteran Ned Allard’s barn was shuffled back through the turn then came on again in the stretch for a solid debut. Better placement and handling should make this one tough next out.
  • BELLE NOIR – Came from far back in a paceless race on the turf to finish second and should be tough if in a field with some early speed next out.

CLOCKER’S CORNER

Delaware Park clocker has this to say about several noteworthy morning moves

  • ALL OUT OF ACES – Recent winner continues to train smartly for trainer Larry Jones, drilling a sharp five furlongs in 1:01 flat then galloping out in 1:13.3 on July 30.
  • FINAL PROSPECT – Continues to burn up the race track in the a.m., this time working five furlongs in 1:00 4/5. on 7/31 and looks more than ready to make his first start since January for trainer Capuano.
  • CAN’TTAKEITWITHYOU – Pecoraro maiden worked solid half in :48 flat then galloped out well in 1:01.3 on 7/31

The cream is starting to rise to the top as far as the jockey colony is concerned. Defending champion Carol Cedeno and perennial threat Daniel Centeno each had standout weeks, with five wins apiece. No other jock won more than twice during the week.

Cedeno, who is going after her fourth straight title, won at a 24 percent clip last week and now has an eight-win lead — 25 wins to 17 — over Centeno, who is her nearest pursuer. Centeno was successful with 33 percent of his mounts last week and is scoring 20 percent of the time overall. Orlando Bocachica, with 11 wins from 39 starts, leads jockeys who have made at least 20 starts with a 28 percent win rate.

Brian Pedroza, Alex Cintron and Ademar Santos each had a pair of wins as Pedroza continues to pick up steam as the meet progresses.

JOCKEYS AND TRAINERS

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On the trainer’s side of the slate, the Joseph Arboritanza stable, one of several outfits who Delaware racing representatives have persuaded to race here during the summer and fall, had a good week, winning with two of the five horses he sent out with another running third. That gave Arboritanza seven wins for the current stand, and he was one of just two trainers to win more than a single race during the week.

Jerenesto Torres sent out two Arabian winners. Among the interesting stats among the host of trainers who had a single win was Scott Lake’s victory. That horse paid $22.00, as many in the betting public seem to take Lake horses’ chances lightly despite the fact the trainer is having a solid meet. The average win price for Lake horses this meet is a very generous $13.10, and he’s hit with 16 percent of his starters.

TRACK BIAS REPORT

Power of Snunner

Power of Snunner won the Obeah at Delaware Park. Photo by Kathleen O’Leary.

  • 07/24 – Mother Nature took matters into her own hands, roaring through the area and dumping torrential rains through Sunday night. As a consequence the track was wet and drying out for Monday’s card. This produced a tiring strip and one that favored late closers. The outside of the strip was also the best place to be and several winners took the overland route to victory.
  • 07/26 – The main track surface continued to be kinder to stalkers and closers for the midweek card and again, from the middle to the outside of the strip being the preferred place to be from the quarter pole home.
  • 07/27 – The strip tightened up on Thursday and speed held up much better than earlier in the week. The middle of the track seemed to be the kindest and best to travel over.
  • 07/29 – Heavy rains made the surface very sloppy with a good bit of standing water. Because of the quirks and changes that develop when the track is wet, pinpointing specific biases and/or preferred portions of the strip are difficult.