Delaware Park 2019 horses to watch: Stanton Stakes
Off at Delaware Park. Photo © www.HoofprintsInc.com.
by Frank Vespe
Delaware Park has an eight-race card on tap for Monday, and the finale is for Arabians. The seventh race is the grassy Stanton Stakes:
Race 7 – Stanton Stakes
- Three-year-olds will go 1 1/16 miles on the turf in this $50,000 event, which is a prep race for next month’s Kent Stakes.
- One runner in the field, #5 Regally Irish (3-1), is already a stakes winner on the turf.
The field:
- Burnin Ring o Fire (15-1): Longest shot in the field owns two stakes wins on the main track, both against WV-breds. That’s not the greatest credential for this turf event, but note that he began his career with a dominant win over maidens on the LRL lawn… Has not won beyond 6 1/2 furlongs, and best effort of ’19 came going 4 1/2… Only sib to race, full-brother Zep, is 1-for-1 on the grass… Must improve off recent form to contend here, but return to lawn offers hope of that…
- Eons (6-1): Addition of blinkers seems to have made a big difference, as this Delacour-trained son of Giant’s Causeway is 2-for-2 since adding shades… Scored smartly at Keeneland to break maiden on April 11 and doubled up by winning Pimlico allowance on the Black-Eyed Susan undercard… Sib to two stakes winners, including full-bro Giant Gizmo, a multiple graded winner of over $500,000… Hard to believe combo of Delacour and rider Trevor McCarthy will go off at 6-1 but could offer value if they do…
- Caladan (4-1): First time on the lawn for this son of Atreides who is a half to a couple of turf winners… Posted narrow win in a main-track allowance last time out, and runner-up Aspect returned to score next out versus similar… Trainer Pecoraro a preposterously good 9-for-15 at the meet to date, and with jockey Rose is 55% in the last two months… Two sibs have won on the lawn, and Pecoraro tried to get this one on the grass in each of his first three starts… Can move forward in second start of the year and a major player if he likes the green…
- Five Star General (2-1): Morning line favorite owns a stakes win, in an off-the-turf event at Aqueduct last November but only turf try, last out, netted a distant fourth-place finish in the Woodhaven at AQU in April… Has been working fast at Delacour’s Fair Hill base since last time, including a couple of bullet moves in last two breezes… Rider Centeno steered this one to maiden score in off-the-turf race at Laurel… Will need a better effort than only prior turf try to get the money here…
- Regally Irish (3-1): Motion trainee has won two of three on the lawn, including a narrow win in the six-furlong Bridgetown at Aqueduct in April and a two-turn allowance win at Tampa Bay in January… Makes third start off a three-month break and can step forward… Not too concerned about middling try last time out, as that came over synthetic surface he may not have relished at Presque Isle… Has the speed to lead if opportunity presents but also possesses ability to stalk and pounce… Major player…
- Credit Swap (6-1): Speedy Stidham trainee has two wins from three starts, all on the lawn and all sprinting… Will try two turns for the first time here, and breeding suggests this may not be beyond his scope, though probably much longer would be… Likely to be on the lead in early going and trying to fend off rivals late… Interesting to see jockey Nik Juarez in to make first Delaware start of the season here for only mount of the day…
- Mountain Holiday (6-1): Scratched
Selections: 5-6-2-3
Arabian Watch
Thanks to Stephanie Ruff and Arabian Finish Line for giving us insights to the Arabian racing at Delaware Park.
This one-mile allowance/optional claiming race features a small, but highly competitive field full of stakes horses. The entry of RB Nash and Dance With Me BW features two Darley award winners and must be respected. The tough (and also Darley winning) Colors In Motion is looking for his second win in three starts this year. Every horse in this race has a chance, and none of them will really be a surprise.
