DELAWARE PARK PICKS AND HORSES TO WATCH: SEPT. 23

Elate
Elate was much the best in the 2019 Delaware Handicap. Photo by Allison Janezic.

Delaware Park has an 8-race card on tap for this Wednesday. Post time for the opener is an early 1:00 p.m., and we’ve got Delaware Park picks.

How’d we do last time at Delaware Park?

RACE NUMBERHORSESCOMMENTS
Race 44, 5, 9, 10Two-year-old maiden claimers are our first stop, and it’s a more interesting group than you’d expect. The horse we’re most interested to see if #9 Veladera (10-1). The Tres Abbott trainee has the kind of breeding you don’t expect to see in this type of company – but then again, they’re waiving the claiming price, so it makes sense to find the easiest available spot. This miss is a daughter of Candy Ride out of a Danehill Dancer mare who was a Grade 3 winner on the track. This one’s only sib to race has earned over $200k on the racetrack. But here’s the rub: that sibling didn’t win until four years-old, and Candy Rides generally mature later. This one’s been training well enough for a trainer who’s 2-for-26 with 2yo first-timers. Curious to see what the toteboard tells us… Also interested to see #5 Flirtatious Lass (5-1). Her debut certainly wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible either, and trainer Gary Capuano has a record — we’re not making this up — of 10-for-24 with two-year-olds making their second career start in maiden claiming company; this one gets Lasix today… #10 Keepyourskateson (6-1) is a Girolamo filly out of a mare who was a stakes winner on turf. Trainer Dale Capuano can win first out of the box, and this one’s been training forwardly, including three five-furlong moves… #4 Mosler’s Image (4-1) is a half to a turf stakes winner…
Race 51A, 6, 7, 8, 9The most likely winner in this two-year-old maiden special is #1A Golden GUlley (7-2). The Gary Capuano trainee – and as noted above, he’s got a stellar record with second-time starters — ran a thoroughly professional race on debut to just miss, finishing second behind a Nyquist colt by just a neck while well clear of the rest. He’s the one they’ll have to beat… #6 Tapsasional (12-1) is the first foal out of an unraced mare, but interestingly enough, three of his four grandparents won at first asking… #7 Royal Number (5-2) has been training forwardly for trainer Mike Trombetta (9-for-84 with 2yo first-timers in maiden special weight company) and is out of a multiple stakes-winning mare… #8 Worththemoney (8-1) is the first foal out of a two-time Pa-bred stakes winner for a barn that wins 25% of the time with debut 2yo in special weight company… #9 Battle of the Nile (6-1) is a half to two graded stakes-placed horses and a stakes winner; note the six-furlong move 9/5, fastest of seven…
WAGERING…Golden Gulley looks like a serious handful in the fifth, and anything approach morning line odds would be a lovely gift… Veladera is the most intriguing runner in the fourth, and even if she’s really bred to be better later, that quality might stand her in good stead here. Keep an eye on the toteboard… Don’t be surprised if it’s a Gary Capuano double…

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