Two races prior, in the Tax Free Shopping Distaff for fillies and mares, promising newcomer Intrepid Daydream will look for her fourth consecutive victory and first in stakes company against Delaware certified distaff runners.

Both are favored.

Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and BTR Racing’s Whereshetoldmetogo, will be back to defend his championship in the $100,000 New Castle. He’s also looking to win for the seventh time in nine starts at DelPark.

The 7-year-old son of El Padrino has a career record of 16 wins, five seconds and three thirds from 35 starts with earnings of $895,295. The Maryland-bred trained by Brittany Russell also crossed the finish line first in the 2020 New Castle Stakes, but was disqualified and placed second for lugging in on a rival. He has also won the Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware Park twice, including his most recent outing when he posted a 2 ¾-length score in the six-furlong stake.

“This horse is about as cool as they come,” Russell said. “He is a fan favorite especially at Delaware Park because he has done so well there through the years. He is also Delaware Certified, so these kind of races just make sense for a horse like him. He is really doing well, so we are hoping he can win another New Castle. He is an older horse who has been very successful, but he still likes to do his job. He walks over there and shows up every time. He really, really likes Delaware, so we are pretty excited for this race.”

Russell will give a leg up to Jevian Toledo to ride. Whereshetoldmetogo is 7-5 on the morning line.

His toughest competition figures to come from Threes Over Deuces, who was put up to win this event by disqualification two years back. A stakes winner who is also twice graded stakes-placed, the seven-year-old Flat Out gelding has run in this event three times, finishing first, second and third.

Threes Over Deuces, who is trained by Gary Capuano for Pocket 3’s Racing LLC, has earned just over $600,000 in a career that’s seen him win seven times but finish second or third a remarkable 25 times in 48 starts.

Threes Over Deuces is 9-5 on the morning line and will have Mychel Sanchez in the irons.

Capuano also trains Intrepid Daydream, the 6-5 morning line favorite in the Tax Free Shopping Distaff.

The 3-year-old daughter of Jess’s Dream, who has won her last three races by a combined margin of 32 ¼ lengths, will be seeking her first career stakes win. All four of her career starts have been at Delaware Park.

In her most recent, the Maryland-bred trained by Gary Capuano notched a 5 ½-length score in a six-furlong allowance. In her only other outing this year, she registered a 10-length victory in a six-furlong allowance on August 13. Last year, after running fifth in the Delaware Bred or Certified Small Wonder Stakes, she broke her maiden by 16 ¾-lengths going a mile and a sixteenth.

Angel Suarez has the call on Intrepid Daydream, who’s a homebred for Paul Fowler.