Delaware Park horses to watch: July 5

by | Jul 5, 2017 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

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

by Frank Vespe

Delaware Park has an eight-race card lined up for Wednesday, with the nightcap for Arabians. Post time is 1:15. Here are some horses we’ll be keeping an eye on:

  • Race 7 is one of two maiden special weight races for juveniles; while the fourth is a filly sprint on the dirt, this one is for two-year-olds going 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf. The horse we’re most interested in here will need a scratch to draw in off the also-eligible list. #9 Shangroyal (7-2) has about as much of a win-early pedigree as you could hope for: his sire, Shanghai Bobby, was undefeated in five juvenile starts, earning the Eclipse Award as champion two-year-old after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for his third graded victory of the campaign. This guy is a half-brother to a couple of stakes winners, including graded winner Southern Honey. Albin Jimenez will ride the Wesley Ward trainee, who was an OK fourth on debut after a slow start.
  • Race 8 is a first-level allowance sprint for older fillies and mares on the main track. #4 Miss Gracer (5-2) dazzled on debut, winning by almost seven lengths earlier this meet, and shows a couple of solid works since. A half-sister to graded stakes winner Cinco Charlie, this Mike Stidham trainee looks to be a potential star in the making and will have Mitchell Murrill in the irons. Here, she’ll have to contend with with morning line favorite #3 Fillupcohensapiker (9-5), who closed sharply last out to win for the fourth time in five career starts.

ARABIAN WATCH

Our new coverage of Arabians at Delaware Park is provided by Stephanie Corum and our friends at Arabian Finish Line. Check them out at http://www.arabianfinishline.com/.

Fillies and mare, non-winners of 2 races lifetime are entered in a $12,500 allowance race going 5 1/2 furlongs. In this field of 6, Uptown Sandy Girl is the standout after breaking her maiden impressively last time out. Trained by Lynn Ashby and ridden by Travis Wales, she has champion-caliber connections. Madgicall, with Keibar Coa aboard, is making her first start of 2017, but could certainly be a factor. She is from the barn of Aldana Gonzalez who is training Arabians for the first time this year. Also making her first start this year is Fiftyshadess Of Bay. With one win and one third in her 2 races, if she’s ready she could be right there. Merlot MHF was a steady runner last year, but hasn’t shown the same form this year. If she runs to her 2016 ability she could get a piece of it.