Delaware Park horses to watch: July 12, 2018

by | Jul 12, 2018 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

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

by Frank Vespe

Delaware Park has a 10-race card for July 12, and the finale is for Arabians. Post time is 1:15 p.m. Here are some horses to watch:

Race 7 – Maiden special weight

  • Three-year-olds and up will go six furlongs on the main track.
  • Trainer Gary Capuano has been doing well at Delaware Park (fifth in our alternative rankings) and is set to send out #1 Gnarly (5-2) in this spot. The Shanghai Bobby gelding has been second in a pair of $40,000 maiden claimers at Laurel Park, and while generally the jump in class is a handicapping red flag in maiden company, there are a couple of positives here. For one thing, today’s race will be the first time he catches a fast track, as his other two tries were on sloppy and muddy surfaces. For another, he’s shown different dimensions in his two starts: making a late rally into second in his debut, and leading before being pipped late in his follow-up. Perhaps today’s the day he puts it together. Weston Hamilton is in to ride.
  • #2 Ajibwah (9-5) ships down from Saratoga for the powerful Kiaran McLaughlin barn. He showed absolutely nothing in his career debut, finishing 11th and last in a Gulfstream Park maiden event. But that was on the turf, and he switches over to the main track here. He’s certainly bred for success: by leading sire Tapit, he is out of the Street Cry mare Zaroof. Trevor McCarthy will ride.
  • #6 Odds On (6-1) has been a well-beaten second in each of her first two starts versus local maidens, both times showing speed but failing to keep pace in the end. The added half-furlong doesn’t seem likely to help her cause, either, but on the plus side, she picks up red-hot Carol Cedeno — who won seven yesterday — in the irons.
  • Selections: 1-2-6-3

 

Race 8 – Starter/optional claiming

  • Three-year-olds and up will go a mile 70 yards on the turf in race for horses that have never won two that is a starter allowance for horses that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less with an optional claiming tag of $40,000.
  • #6 Where You Was (12-1) didn’t show much on debut, running eighth against state-bred maidens in May. So trainer Elizabeth Merryman changed up pretty much everything for race number two: adding Lasix and blinkers and switching over from the main track to the turf. The result was a 22-point jump in his Brisnet speed figure and a victory. Merryman will leg up Jorge Vargas, Jr. today, and Where You Was, a gelding by Majestic Warrior, will try to stretch out to two turns for the first time; his dam, the Arch mare Sixth and Arch, was stakes-placed going a route of ground on the turf.
  • Selections: 6-7-8-3

 

 

ARABIAN WATCH

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

The six furlong claiming race for fillies and mares drew 8 horses. Risky Red, off a win and Miss Paradise could be among the top horses. The Ken Danyluk entry of TM Maddamee and Well Liked is a good two-for-the-price-of-one as both can be competitive at this level. WMA Success Symbol has not run since April at Sam Houston, but she is dropping in class from stakes and allowance company to this claiming level. If she’s ready, she could be one to watch.