Delaware Park Racing Notebook 2018: Vol. 12
Elate won the G2 Delaware Handicap. Photo by Allison Janezic.
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
- IT’S A DOOZY – Finished second to a runaway winner after not being asked for much early in an off-the-turf sprint. Look for this one back on the turf, especially longer.
- TATTERED – Professional effort winning last. A $225,000 yearling purchase, this one’s time was slow, but he looks as though he’s coming around.
- TIDY STRIPE – Rider and horse not fully prepared at the break of last but recovered to make nice middle move and finish second behind a runaway winner. A better break makes this one tough next out.
- DANCE QUEEN – Broke awkwardly, ran into a switch in traffic in second turn, then was bumped in the stretch of last. No star but should win next with a clean trip.
CLOCKERS’ CORNER
- GRANDPA’S DREAM – Recent winner when moved to Carrasco’s barn, this one continues to look like he’s in top form with a solid half mile of :47.40 on 08/14.
- ROAD TO DAMASCUS – This one who was last listed as being in Todd Pletcher’s barn zipped through a sharp half in :47.40 on 08/14. We’re pretty sure he’s been moved to a new barn so watch for him to return for his first start since June 2nd soon.
- EPIC DRAMA – This Gerald Bennett runner didn’t take to the Tapeta surface at Presque Isle last out but a good half-mile drill of :48.40 on 08/15 indicates an improvement can be expected next out.
- MOUNT TRAVERS – This unraced Speightstown 2-year-old worked a half in :48.60 on 08/16 and doesn’t look to be too far away from his debut.
JOCKEYS AND TRAINERS
Not surprisingly, the meeting’s top two jockeys each had good weeks. Defending champion Carol Cedeno led all riders again for the period between August 15-21 with five victories from 21 mounts. Angel Suarez captured four wins from his 18 mounts. The pair continues to lead the pack, as Cedeno now has 59 wins for the meet with Suarez 15 back with 44 tallies.
A pair of relatively unheralded riders also had solid weeks. Augusto Marin, who is having his best meeting ever, won three races from eight mounts and now has 14 tallies for the meeting. Navin Mangalee, who does most of his riding at Monmouth Park, also won three races from eight mounts.
In our jockey ratings (at right), which combine wins, win percentage, earnings per start, and $2 wagering ROI into a single metric, Cedeno is in second and Suarez is fifth. Daniel Centeno, who leads all riders with at least 20 starts in Delaware in win percentage and earnings per start and is second in wagering ROI, has the colony’s highest rating. Jomar Torres and Johan Rosado round out the top five in the rankings.
RANK | JOCKEY | TOTAL POINTS | WINS | WIN PCT. | EARNINGS/START | $2 ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Centeno Daniel | 331.60 | 20 | 31.75% | $7,423.65 | $2.28 |
| 2 | Cedeno Carol | 293.30 | 59 | 23.60% | $4,096.48 | $1.49 |
| 3 | Torres Jomar | 247.05 | 10 | 21.28% | $7,079.79 | $1.58 |
| 4 | Rosado Johan | 241.40 | 15 | 22.06% | $3,749.19 | $2.24 |
| 5 | Suarez Angel | 240.19 | 44 | 20.00% | $3,079.19 | $1.43 |
| 6 | Pino Mario G | 234.33 | 12 | 17.91% | $5,589.78 | $1.92 |
| 7 | Lynch Feargal | 226.53 | 7 | 18.92% | $7,121.81 | $1.38 |
| 8 | Cintron Alex | 216.69 | 16 | 17.98% | $4,778.96 | $1.60 |
| 9 | Marin Augusto A | 212.03 | 14 | 17.95% | $3,546.41 | $1.96 |
| 10 | Pedroza Brian | 210.02 | 9 | 23.08% | $4,417.82 | $1.46 |
| 11 | Ortega Jomar | 205.33 | 11 | 17.74% | $2,286.69 | $2.33 |
| 12 | Toledo Jevian | 191.81 | 4 | 16.00% | $5,095.60 | $1.54 |
| 13 | Coa Keiber J | 174.25 | 24 | 12.37% | $2,599.78 | $1.39 |
| 14 | Panell Dyn | 166.28 | 6 | 13.04% | $2,558.04 | $1.88 |
| 15 | Garcia Jose Angel | 165.85 | 18 | 13.24% | $2,451.56 | $1.41 |
| 16 | Swan Kirsten | 164.43 | 4 | 20.00% | $3,145.00 | $1.22 |
| 17 | Paz Robert | 159.76 | 6 | 10.53% | $1,443.77 | $2.26 |
| 18 | Hamilton Weston | 157.89 | 4 | 12.90% | $3,747.06 | $1.40 |
| 19 | Mccarthy Trevor | 147.22 | 12 | 12.90% | $3,602.53 | $0.88 |
| 20 | Vargas Jr Jorge A | 144.82 | 4 | 9.52% | $4,330.24 | $1.16 |
| 21 | Uske Shannon | 142.74 | 9 | 12.16% | $1,848.04 | $1.50 |
| 22 | Rose Jeremy | 131.69 | 4 | 8.70% | $3,294.83 | $1.24 |
| 23 | Betancourt Jose R | 131.06 | 7 | 7.69% | $1,340.68 | $1.79 |
| 24 | Powell Ryan | 128.75 | 3 | 8.82% | $1,795.21 | $1.67 |
| 25 | Pinero Lery | 114.32 | 2 | 10.00% | $1,697.00 | $1.32 |
| 26 | Montanez Rosario | 111.38 | 2 | 10.00% | $2,178.75 | $1.10 |
| 27 | Rodriguez Pablo | 103.54 | 8 | 10.13% | $1,830.70 | $0.78 |
| 28 | Lara Ezequiel | 87.75 | 3 | 5.36% | $1,384.91 | $1.10 |
| 29 | Quiles Antonio | 76.04 | 4 | 7.14% | $1,680.93 | $0.56 |
| 30 | Acosta J D | 57.36 | 1 | 5.00% | $2,517.75 | $0.14 |
RANK | TRAINER | TOTAL POINTS | WINS | WIN PCT. | EARNINGS/START | $2 ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonzalez Claudio A | 350.79 | 12 | 40.00% | $11,677 | $2.76 |
| 2 | Pecoraro Anthony | 241.27 | 13 | 27.66% | $5,748 | $1.76 |
| 3 | Ness Jamie | 230.63 | 20 | 23.26% | $3,779 | $1.22 |
| 4 | Carrasco Jr Victor | 229.75 | 11 | 26.83% | $3,509 | $2.36 |
| 5 | Ashby Lynn A | 229.70 | 10 | 26.32% | $7,328 | $1.56 |
| 6 | Capuano Gary | 227.85 | 6 | 23.08% | $7,993 | $2.18 |
| 7 | Torrez Jerenesto | 225.21 | 14 | 29.79% | $3,897 | $1.44 |
| 8 | Delacour Arnaud | 218.98 | 7 | 24.14% | $5,679 | $2.28 |
| 9 | Gorham Michael E | 215.25 | 10 | 18.87% | $4,493 | $2.42 |
| 10 | Bennett Gerald S | 206.04 | 14 | 19.72% | $3,984 | $1.60 |
| 11 | Simoff Andrew L | 202.05 | 8 | 29.63% | $3,743 | $1.70 |
| 12 | Motion H Graham | 201.63 | 7 | 19.44% | $7,021 | $1.76 |
| 13 | Powell Scott | 195.34 | 7 | 19.44% | $2,599 | $2.72 |
| 14 | Wasiluk Jr Peter | 193.99 | 5 | 17.86% | $2,844 | $3.04 |
| 15 | Ritchey Timothy F | 188.15 | 6 | 27.27% | $4,590 | $1.54 |
| 16 | Tsirigotis Jr James | 172.95 | 4 | 17.39% | $2,336 | $2.72 |
| 17 | Neilson Wallace C | 169.52 | 7 | 18.92% | $1,824 | $2.18 |
| 18 | Lake Scott A | 166.84 | 14 | 15.91% | $2,362 | $1.12 |
| 19 | Rigattieri John | 145.74 | 5 | 18.52% | $3,700 | $1.30 |
| 20 | Proctor Thomas F | 140.78 | 5 | 15.63% | $5,655 | $0.86 |
| 21 | Potts Wayne | 140.54 | 11 | 14.10% | $2,645 | $0.84 |
| 22 | Rodriguez Jose S | 131.72 | 3 | 13.64% | $1,966 | $2.00 |
| 23 | Cruz Jesus | 124.34 | 5 | 13.89% | $2,782 | $1.24 |
| 24 | McMahon Hugh I | 120.97 | 3 | 13.04% | $2,114 | $1.68 |
| 25 | Rubley Kelly | 115.09 | 3 | 14.29% | $3,907 | $0.94 |
| 26 | Hobson Simon | 108.29 | 4 | 11.11% | $1,766 | $1.38 |
| 27 | Galvan Baltazar | 100.14 | 5 | 7.58% | $2,183 | $1.14 |
| 28 | Cronk Samuel F | 95.82 | 3 | 9.68% | $2,003 | $1.20 |
| 29 | Sienkewicz William M | 90.52 | 3 | 13.04% | $1,938 | $0.80 |
| 30 | Stauffer Sr Arthur F | 89.76 | 3 | 5.56% | $1,269 | $1.52 |
| 31 | Raymond Robert A | 82.81 | 3 | 10.71% | $2,101 | $0.70 |
| 32 | Woodhouse Marten | 82.43 | 2 | 8.33% | $1,800 | $1.10 |
| 33 | Powell Mark K | 79.16 | 5 | 8.06% | $1,205 | $0.72 |
| 34 | Epley Jr Steve | 67.27 | 2 | 6.90% | $2,446 | $0.58 |
| 35 | Gaffney Hubert | 63.07 | 2 | 5.56% | $1,426 | $0.82 |
| 36 | Diaz Jorge | 53.70 | 2 | 5.00% | $1,031 | $0.68 |
Jamie Ness, who has taken the lead in the overall trainer standings with 20 wins, headed a list of five trainers with a pair of wins last week. Ness also had three horses finish second as his outfit looks to be hitting its best stride. Arabian trainer Jerenesto Torrez, Michael Gorham, Arabian conditioner Scott Powell and veteran Ned Allard (2-for-2) also posted two winners.
Claudio Gonzalez, who won once from two starters, leads our trainer rankings (at left) with a score of 350.79. That gives him a comfortable advantage over Anthony Pecoraro in second. Ness is in third in the rankings. The rest of the top five includes Victor Carrasco and Lynn Ashby.
TRACK BIAS REPORT
Power of Snunner won the 2017 Obeah at Delaware Park. Photo by Kathleen O’Leary.
- 08/15 – Speed rivals and close-up stalkers had the most success on this Wednesday card with the middle of the strip from the 3- to 5-paths being the preferred place to be.
- 08/16 – The track played reasonably fair on Thursday with most riders choosing to place their mounts near the middle of the strip.
- 08/18 – Saturday speed rivals and stalkers fared the best in sprints with outside stalkers doing well in the two-turn races.
- 08/20 – The surface was reasonably fair on Monday with the early pace of several races making things easier for late running types.
