Delaware Park 2019 horses to watch: September 26

Photo by HoofprintsInc.com.

Delaware Park has an eight-race card lined up for Thursday, September 26. Some horses to watch:

Race 5 — Maiden claiming

• Two-year-old maidens will go 6 furlongs on the main track at the $25,000 claiming level.
• That was a perfectly useful debut for the Andrew Simoff-trained #3 Miami Steve (7-2), who seemed to be fading from contention but then rallied to be within a couple of lengths of the winner while finishing fourth. He has every right to improve in his second start, is showing a work in the meantime, and will get Ricardo Chiappe in the irons once again.
• In his second career start, #4 Rolling Palisades (5-2) led for a long way before coughing it up in the last jumps to settle for second. On the page, it looks like the kind of effort that would have taken something out of him, but note that he came right back and posted a four-furlong breeze just a week after the race. He had an easy move two weeks after that — just three days ago — and will again have Jeremy Rose (38% at the meet) in the irons for trainer Anthony Pecoraro.
• It’s been two months since #6 Battle Honours (9-5) made his career debut. He finished fourth that day against better, making a middle move to get within a length of the lead leaving the furlong grounds but flattening out thereafter. He’s worked five times in the intervening period — two of them bullet half-miles at his Fair Hill base — and arrives here with several notable changes: first time Lasix, blinkers on, easier company, and go-to rider Daniel Centeno in the irons.
• Selections: 3-6-4-2

Race 8 — Claiming

• Fillies and mares three years-old and up will go 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf at the $8,000 claiming level.
• Last time out, #12 Talkless Smilemore (6-1) was on an absolute mission to get to the front, did so, set rapid fractions, and then held on to win by a nose in a very game effort — only to be disqualified for putting rivals in tight into and through the first turn. It was, nevertheless, a big effort and one she’ll try to repeat here today with Alex Cintron once again in the irons. The slightly shorter distance — down from a mile — may aid her cause, but what probably won’t is the presence of other speed horses in the race. Those include two of the logical contenders here in #8 I Dream of Lois (6-1) and #9 Miss Aja Brown (4-1). Both typically have done their best work on the lead; if all three go, there could be quite a pace battle. Miss Aja Brown, in particular, seems a major threat here, having crushed similar three back and then run a credible race versus better at Monmouth before a poor try on the dirt.
• One runner who typically has shown speed but who last out showed a new dimension is #3 Shes Dynomite (5-1). In the Talkless Smilemore race, she settled back in fourth early before making a nice late run to third, beaten just a neck for all the money. The pace scenario in this contest would seem to favor seeking a similar trip, and, making just her third start of 2019, she can take a step forward in this spot. Roberto Rosado will ride.
• Selections: 3-9-12-10

Arabian Watch

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

No Arabian race today.

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