Delaware Park horses to watch: September 18

by | Sep 18, 2017 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

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

by Frank Vespe

Delaware Park’s nine-race card Monday is capped off by an allowance event for Arabians. It’s also the track’s first time back on the turf — weather permitting — since the bad spill on Thursday. Scheduled post time is 1:15 p.m. Some horses to watch:

  • The sixth is a maiden special weight for two-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track, and it’s attracted a well-bred field of eight. Trainers Graham Motion, Larry Jones, Tim Ritchey, and Tom Proctor all are represented by nicely bred debut runners, but let’s give a look at Briny Marlin (6-1), out of the Anthony Margotta barn. The Paynter colt cost $200,000 as a yearling at auction, and he’s a half-brother to two winners, including Grade 1 winner Peace and War, who, by the way, won at first asking as a two-year-old. Margotta hits at 29 percent with debut maiden special weight runners and has a positive betting ROI. The injured Victor Carrasco was named, but will obviously be replaced.
  • The seventh presents  a handicapping puzzle, a wide-open $10,000 claimer for horses that have never won three going a mile 70 yards on the turf, weather permitting. There are plenty of ways to go here, but we’ll take a shot with Giles Fair (10-1). Trainer Mark Shuman has generally handled this Congrats gelding conservatively, running him repeatedly in allowance races or other spots not exposed to being claimed. When last seen against this type of company, he ran off two straight wins and now drops back into this easier level. Feargal Lynch will ride.

ARABIAN WATCH

Arabian handicapping is provided by our friends at Arabian Finish Line.

A full field is entered in the last race of the day, an allowance/optional claiming race for fillies and mares at six furlongs. This is an evenly matched field and a good betting race. The two entries, one from Mark Powell and one from Rosebrook Farm are both strong. RB Kinkie Boots and RB Gaim Changer, from Rosebrook, have the two top jockeys, Carol Cedeno and Keiber Coa respectively, aboard for leading Arabian trainer Jerenesto Torrez. If by chance it’s an off track look for Big Girls Are Better and Merlot to perform well. They ran 1-2 on a sloppy track in their last start. Risky Red could bounce back from a poor showing. She has finished in the top three in nine of 15 starts this year. And finally TM Maddamee has shown some toughness this year. She could get up there as well, and she is running for owner/trainer Ken Danyluk who has had a solid season.