Delaware Park 2019 horses to watch: June 5

by | Jun 4, 2019 | Breaking, DE Racing, Delaware, Racing

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

by Frank Vespe

Delaware Park has an eight-race card on tap for Monday, with the finale for Arabians. The feature is the first stake of the season, the $50,000 Light Hearted Stakes. It’s for three-year-old fillies and contested at a mile 70 yards, and it’s considered the local prep for the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks July 6.

Here’s the field:

  1. Pat’s No Fool (8-1): One of two stakes winners in the bunch, this Gary Capuano trainee won a NY-bred stakes at Aqueduct in March, followed that up with a credible third in the Weber City Miss – but she was well behind runner-up #2 Our Super Freak… Must find a way to turn tables on that rival… Has been working fast since the Weber City… Has done best work closing into fast paces and might get something to run at in this one…
  2. Our Super Freak (6-1): Good news for this Jamie Ness trainee: she won’t have to face Las Setas here; that runner has finished ahead of her in four consecutive starts… Disappointing try last out when last in the G2 Black-Eyed Susan, but that was surely a saltier group than she’ll face here… Has early lick, and best effort came when dueling Las Setas all the way ’round before settling for place in Weber City Miss… Gets blinks on and shows a bullet work over the strip since last… Note that rider McCarthy lands here, rather than #8…
  3. Zonda (10-1): The word was out on this Chuck Lawrence trainee, as she got bet down to 6-5 on debut and won like a 1-5, cruising home 11 clear while ridden out… Very professional debut in which she led early, ceded the lead to a longshot, took command when rider requested, and blew past the leader to win… Three of five from that race have finished in the triple next out… Daughter of Scat Daddy gets major class test here in second career start…
  4. Tightly Twisted (12-1): Has a record of 3:2-1-0 at Penn National — and 5:0-0-1 everywhere else… Good effort last time when pressing fast pace before drawing away… Only runner to return from that tilt won next out vs. lesser… Must improve to contend here…
  5. Don’t Fight It (20-1): Graduated last time out in fourth career try in a race that’s produced two next-out winners… That suggests Beyer fig may be a bit light… Closing sort will likely need a pace meltdown…
  6. Fashion Faux Pas (4-1): Impressed in blowing to four-length win in the Sandpiper at Tampa Bay four back, but follow-up, in G3 Forward Gal at Gulfstream, was a mess, as she led early but stopped badly to finish last… Last two on turf have been solid, earning more black type, both times at generous odds, and she can contend here if back to best game… Has ceded ground late in all three tries beyond six furlongs… Should be on the engine early under Centeno, who takes this mount and not #9 Proud Mandate, whom he also rode in last start…
  7. Nonsensical (5-2): Daughter of Street Sense has the bloodlines of a star, as she’s out of an A. P. Indy mare… Took four cracks to break her maiden, which she did in off-the-turf event going 1 1/8 miles, so distance not likely to be a concern for this one… Was clearly best last out, and runner-up graduated in next… Jersey Joe Bravo remains aboard and comes for just this mount… Is cross-entered as main-track-only for G3 Wonder Again Thursday at Belmont and is 2-1 in that spot…
  8. Remarkable Soul (7-2): Ran a decent one last out on the lawn to be fourth in Keeneland allowance… Must step forward in a big way to contend here; in her maiden-breaking score, she set a glacial pace and held well, but there’s no chance she’ll get away on the front end in those fractions here… McCarthy, who rode her two back to graduate, lands on #2 Our Super Freak here…
  9. Proud Mandate (8-1): Nothing wrong with the way this Keith Nations trainee returned to action last time, when overcoming a slow start to win going away in a Parx allowance… Ran her record to 2-for-2 with the win, the first of those having come in August at Monmouth… Has shown good early zip and looks likely to be involved early here… Jockey Centeno lands on #6 Fashion Faux Pas… Must improve here, but that seems a reasonable thing to expect in just third start…

Selections: 1-2-7-9

    Arabian Watch

    Thanks to Stephanie Ruff and Arabian Finish Line for giving us insights to the Arabian racing at Delaware Park.

    Today’s maiden race for 3-year-olds and up is a full field mostly of first time starters. There are two well bred offspring of Baseq Al Khalidiah that, if ready, could run a big race. Several runners — Dahesstiny MC, Marsanne MHF and Uptown WTF — have all shown potential in previous races, but need to step it up to get to the winner’s circle. However, in this full field, it could be anyone’s race.