Delaware Park 2018 horses to watch: October 20

by | Oct 20, 2018 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

Off at Delaware Park. Photo © www.HoofprintsInc.com.

by Frank Vespe

It’s the final Delaware Park card of the year, and the racing office has put together a good one, a 10-race slate, which includes big fields, a couple of allowance contests, and one, the finale, for Arabians. Some horses to watch:

Race 7 – Allowance/optional claiming

  • Fillies and mares three and up will go 1 mile 70 yards on the main track in a first-level allowance test with an optional claiming tag of $16,000.
  • #5 Millie’s Journey (10-1) hasn’t tried the main track yet; she’s made all three of her starts to date on the synthetic at Presque Isle Downs. She broke her maiden in her second start, rallying from well of the pace to win comfortably in August at today’s distance. Her rally could only get her to fourth in her follow-up start, though, also against allowance rivals. She’s showing two works at Fair Hill since her last start for trainer Graham Motion, and if she takes to the main track, the sophomore Pleasantly Perfect filly has a chance to make some noise in here. Meet leader Carol Cedeno will ride.
  • Selections: 5-6-4-8

 

Race 9 – Allowance/optional claiming

  • Three-year-olds and up will go 1 mile 70 yards on the main track in a first-level allowance test with an optional claiming tag of $16,000.
  • #3 Jeezum Jim (9-2) sure is good right now. The five-year-old Fairbanks gelding has won three straight and four of five, the lone blemish a runner-up finish against similar. Last out,in an off-the-turf allowance, he set a fast pace early and held his rivals safe late, and the show horse from that contest, Super Buddy, returned to win against starter/optional claiming types. A repeat of that here would be no surprise for the Mike Pino trainee, though there is other speed here, which may pose a challenge. Johan Rosado will ride.
  • In his first start in 11 months, and also his first with Lasix and in Graham Motion’s barn, #7 Arch of the Diver (7-2) obliterated maiden claiming rivals at Saratoga, winning by nine while eased up. His follow-up — on the turf — wasn’t much to crow about, but he returns here to the dirt, the surface on which he broke his maiden.
  • Selections: 3-8-7-1

 

ARABIAN WATCH

Arabian handicapping is provided by our friends at Arabian Finish Line.

The last Arabian race for the 2018 meet is a one mile maiden claiming event. Even though this is closing day, there is still a large field of nine looking for that elusive first win. Royal Moonlight, bred similarly to the stakes-filly Royally Bred, was second in her only start and could certainly pick up her first win today. Likewise Dahesstiny MC is making his second start as well so look for improvement from that one. Lapcos Lets Dance and WMA Bravo have both show some ability and could finish in the top three. The lone first time starter is a Sole On Fire, but he gets the help of Keibar Coa so could be a factor in the exotics.