Delaware Park picks and analysis: July 8, 2024 * The Racing Biz

Delaware Park picks and analysis: July 8, 2024

Picks and analysis for this afternoon’s card from Delaware Park:

RACE 1

5. Murumbi	Bested similar last out, and winner of two-back try, when this one was runner-up, moved up to $12,500 claiming to win in next start
4. Viking Queen	Switches into Simone barn (20% first after the claim) and gets top local pilot Rodriguez up after middling try versus similar in last; two-back effort very good on speed-favoring day
3. Angelas Party Girl	Speedy sort gacked up long lead in last; has mostly kept better company

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RACE 2 – ON THE TURF

12. Mary Katherine	Has kept better company; makes third start off the bench and picks up ship-in rider Castellano for this affair
8. Abundant Life	Tired late in last in oddly run affair in which she was the first to move after breakaway leader; note solid career debut last September
9. April April	Gets blinkers on after solid outing with a somewhat troubled stretch run; winner returned to win versus never-won-three rivals

RACE 3

4. Petingas Twin	Sophomore on a major heater with back-to-back dominant wins; a repeat of either wins here
2. The Bullion Bomber	Switches into Jacobson barn (11-for-70 first after the claim) after runner-up try against open $25k claimers at Santa Anita
6. Run Poppy	Willing effort in last chasing 4-5 favorite; makes third start off the bench

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RACE 4 – ON THE TURF

3. Distorted d’Oro	Debut win came over $550k Frankel filly while rest were well back
1. Yatta	Lasix on for season bow; has kept better company
8. Just Great	Improved try last out when switched to the lawn for first time

RACE 5

4. Sunny Breeze	Graduated with flying colors
5. Yo Yo Candy	Grade 3 winner in for the tag after disappointing tries versus better
3. Rainy Skies	Gradually moving forward while climbing class ladder

RACING NOTES

Today’s card was moved, in its entirety, from Saturday, which was canceled because of the heat…
Jockey Jose Ortiz won the Delaware Handicap for a record-tying fourth time. It was one of his two wins on the day…
Nice-looking score by War Like Goddess against a pretty rugged group in the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial. The seven-year-old is creeping up on $3 million in earnings…

RACE 6 – CHRISTIANA STAKES (ON THE TURF)

5. Whiskey Decision	Daughter of top sire Into Mischief sure took to the turf, absolutely laying waste to a Churchill allowance field, getting the last 5/16 in under 30 seconds
10. Style Points	Only defeats outside of her debut have come when second in G3 company; none of five to run back from KEE allowance win has won follow-up
4. Belle of Rights	Good-looking score in last after picking her way through traffic on the turn and accelerating clear in the lane; makes stakes debut here, and rider Boyce remains aboard
2. Source	Rallied smartly to finish second behind #4 here in North American bow; full sis to a Grade 3 winner, so quality bloodlines are there; a better break would aid the cause

RACE 7– ALAPOCAS RUN STAKES

5. Super Chow	May be pressed on the lead early but with three graded wins in his last four, he’s used to the pressure; loves this six-furlong trip (7-for-12)
1. Prince of Jericho	The suspicion is this one prefers seven-eighths or even a one-turn mile to this trip, but he gave a good account of himself when third behind top choice in the Maryland Sprint, and he was second last year in the G3 Chick Lang, also at 6f; likely to be well back in the early running and try to make one big run
7. Dean Delivers	Huge effort in last when up on hot early pace before pulling away; repeat puts him right there, though that was on a sloppy surface he seemed to enjoy, and the last time he ran as well on a fast track was over a year ago
8. Sir Wellington	Delaware lover won nicely over the strip two back for his third win in five local outings and fifth at this six-furlong trip in a race that produced two next-out winners; up against it last out in a short field at LRL when the speedy Rominski made all the running by himself but may well get a contentious pace today to help unleash his late stride; jockey-trainer combo have been lethal at DEL

RACE 8 – KENT STAKES (ON THE TURF)

9. Spirit Prince	Never worse than third in six career outings and got graduation score in stakes company, in the Central Park last fall; useful return to action last out when a good second at the Spa behind $475k Brad Cox trainee; tactical enough to make a good trip
2. St James the Great	Blinkers come off a runner who didn’t run badly at all last out when fifth in the G2 Pennine Ridge; has some tactical speed , and maiden score was at nine furlongs, so this elongated trip ought not be beyond him; a more tucked-in trip may aid the cause; has caught tough rivals repeatedly, including multiple G3 winner Neat, stakes winner and G2-placed Fulmineo, and last out winner Legend of Time, running in G1 company this weekend
5. Triple Espresso	There’s some talent here and ultra-high-end connections; was just a head behind subsequent Preakness winner Seize the Grey when fourth in the Jeff Ruby on the synthetic at Turfway; last was disappointing as he never factored
8. Desvio	Maybe it was the boggy Pimlico turf or maybe the chance to go two turns on the lawn, but this one delivered in a big way on the Preakness undercard; that race has produced two next-out winners and a runner-up from four to return on turf

RACE 9 – G3 DELAWARE OAKS

7. Sidamara	Not sure what this Mott-trained daughter of Arrogate has beaten — none of eight to run back from her last has won since — but she’s done it the right way; mile time in her most recent allowance outing was just 0.30 seconds slower than the mile time for the Kentucky Oaks conducted later on same card; catches toughest challenge yet
2. Call Another Play	Getting better by the start and was well clear of the rest when third in G2 Black-Eyed Susan; the winner of that race, Gun Song, was well beaten by #3 in here; in a race light on speed, this one may be sitting in the catbird seat as they turn for home
3. Power Squeeze	Grade 2 winner was a credible third last out behind rocket ship divisional leader Thorpedo Anna; may have some work to do late; her best wins here most likely, though she has had a habit of alternating good and bad performances, which might make you wonder if she bounces in this spot…
5. Princess Indy	Nothing wrong with her season bow last out when second to hard-knocking Continentalcongres in LRL allowance test, and she previously won going two turns in the Sorority at MTH; major class test in this spot, but with #6 expected to scratch after running July 4, this one might grab the lead and take ’em as far as she can

RACE 10 – ON THE TURF

9. Toy Collector	Just missed after setting slow pace in debut outing; got final quarter in a sharp 23.22 seconds but could not withstand rival
3. Rashmi	Trainer Thomas is 3-for-6 with debut runners in special weight company here; sire Oscar Performance very productive
1. Star Anise	Bid up to nearly even terms with top choice with a quarter to go last out but could not go on with her