Delaware Park 2019 horses to watch: July 1

by | Jul 1, 2019 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

by Frank Vespe

Delaware Park has an eight-race card lined up today, with the finale for Arabians. Some horses to watch:

Race 5 – Allowance

  • Fillies and mares three and up will go five furlongs on the turf in a first-level allowance.
  • There’s nothing wrong with the two turf efforts of #5 Bustin Hearts (4-1). The Hugh McMahon trainee won an open $16,000 claimer two back on the lawn at Pimlico, and last time out, she closed willingly to get third in a starter handicap. Her jockey from those two, Sheldon Russell, is along for the ride, and it’s his only mount of the day. And, for good measure, you gotta like a horse that likes to win; this mare has 13 wins from 28 career starts.
  • We’re curious to see how #8 Had the Notion (10-1) runs in here. She’s a Great Notion filly bred, owned, and trained by Darci Rice. Rice has two wins (from 31 starts) in her training career, one of which came with this miss (in her only start) June 17. That day, against a field of Delaware-certified runners, she dominated, winning off by six while ridden out at 3-2 odds. She may not have beaten much, but she certainly did it the right way. She’ll try grass for the first time here, a surface on which some of Great Notion’s offspring have excelled. Angel Suarez is up.
  • Selections: 5-1-7-8

    Arabian Watch

    Thanks to Stephanie Ruff and Arabian Finish Line for giving us insights to the Arabian racing at Delaware Park.

    This is a small, but nice allowance field going one mile. Easter Man is looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristically poor performance in the grade 1 President of the UAE Cup S. at Churchill Downs. His main competition, Madjikman, was third in that same race. Big Ben AA has run well this year and has three wins/places in four starts.