DALIKA RUNS BIG TO TAKE G3 DICK MEMORIAL

Dalika
Dalika won the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes. Photo by Allison Janezic.

Bal Mar Equine’s Dalika cruised to victory in the $150,500 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park today. 

With Miguel Mena aboard, the 5-year-old daughter of Pastorius posted a length triumph and returned $10.60 as the fourth choice in the field of nine.  The 7-to-2 favorite, Luck Money with Mychel Sanchez, finished second.  It was another ¾-lengths farther back to Temple City Terror, with Florent Geroux in third. 

Dalika battled with Candy Flower, with Sheldon Russell, through early fractions of :48.61 for the half mile and 1:13.18 for the three-quarters mile before covering the mile and three-eighths over a soft turf course in 2:16.35.

The German-bred conditioned by Albert Stall Jr, raised her career record to seven wins from 22 starts with earnings of $508,463.

Winning jockey Miguel Mena knows her well and he let her do her own thing.

“She is a very nice mare and I would like to thank her connections for the opportunity to ride her,” said winning rider Miguel Mena.  “She broke real good, but she has a little bit of a strong head, so we kind of let her just do her thing.  She likes to run free and I have learned not to fight her too much.  It was a nice smooth trip and I waited to ask her as long as I could.  At the quarter-pole she had enough, I asked her and she opened up.  She was much the best.”

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