Delaware Park horses to watch: July 12

by | Jul 12, 2017 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

Off at Delaware Park. Photo © www.HoofprintsInc.com.

by Frank Vespe

Today’s Delaware Park card includes eight Thoroughbred races and an Arabian event. First post is 1:15 p.m. Some horses to watch:

  • In race two, a maiden special weight test for three-year-olds and up, the obvious horses are, well, the obvious horses. Ron Alfano trainee Winplaceorshowono (9-5) ran a big one on debut after breaking in air and finding himself well behind the main body of the field, closing steadily to finish third, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths. The fourth-place finisher returned next out to break his maiden by 11 lengths at Penn National. With a clean break and a repeat of that effort, this one will be awfully tough to beat. Second choice House of Commons (5-2) ships down from trainer Christophe Clement’s Belmont operation. Clement scores at a 30 percent clip shipping horses to run in maiden specials at Delaware Park, including a win with firster Layla on Monday. This son of Hansen has been training forwardly in preparation.
  • The eighth race is that rarest of rare birds this time of year: a race for two-year-old winners, this time a $36,000 allowance for two-year-old fillies going five furlongs on the main track. Chuck Spina trainee Prancing Warrior (9-5) is the deserving favorite after a debut victory in which she earned a gaudy 64 Beyer; she also shows a sharp work in the interim. Horses like Contrarity (7-2) and Life Time Citizen (5-2) also figure to take plenty of wagering action. One who might get ignored — but is worth a look — is Dialin (8-1). The Kim Boniface trainee was mid-pack on debut at Keeneland, and that race produced three next out winners, including winner Buy Sell Hold, who won the Kentucky Juvenile in her follow-up. Dialin won last out, and the runner-up and show horse both won in their next. She’ll need to step it up, but two-year-olds often do.

ARABIAN WATCH

from our friends at Arabian Finish Line.

The final race on the card is a $10,000 maiden race for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up going 5 1/2 furlongs. This race is an Arabian Racing Cup breeders’ incentive race that features $1,500 paid out to the breeders of the first three finishers (though not part of the purse).

This is a tough race to pick. RB Wicked Rich has a third in two starts and could easily win for trainer Ken Danyluk and jockey Travis Wales. There are two horses (both first time starters) that stand out on pedigree alone. The aptly-named Royally Bred is by Darley Horse of the Year Thoroughbred out of Darley Horse of the Year Royal Atheena and a half-sister to stakes winner Royal Richess. The second first time starter that is interesting is Miss Ruby. She is the first starter for Darley Champion Grilla (who won at Keeneland among other places) out of the stakes-placed mare Novelynn, making her a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Sandpiper.