Trainer Graham Motion has practically made the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes his personal domain over the years. He’s hoping that trend he’s hoping will continue Saturday when he saddles 8-5 morning line favorite Marksman Queen in the race’s 29th edition at Delaware Park.

Motion has long targeted the 1 3/8-mile turf fixture for his deep stable of long-distance grass fillies and mares, posting nine wins in the 28-year-old race, and with Marksman Queen, he may have the right kind of horse once again. The 5-year-old daughter of Dubawi is coming off a breakthrough performance in the Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs, where she controlled a moderate pace and blazed home in 2:26.74—a stakes record for the 12-year-old race.

“I think this race really suits her,” said Motion of the Dick Memorial. “The timing of the race and the distance fits, and we have had this race circled on our calendar for her. She is coming into the race perfect, so we are excited about her chances.”

That Keertana win marked Marksman Queen’s first stakes victory and her fourth career win from 16 starts. Hall of Fame rider Frankie Dettori was aboard that day and credited the race shape for her dominant performance: “When she was able to get to the front, she was able to relax. When I got to the three-eighths pole, I thought it’ll be hard to catch her.”

Saturday she’ll have Jorge Ruiz in the irons and leave from the rail.

She’ll face a field of five challengers, including Parish Lane (5-2), a steadily improving 4-year-old by Justify who has been in the money in each of her last four starts. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Parish Lane comes in off a game third in a tough allowance at Churchill and won over the same turf course a month prior.

Another main threat is Spanish Eyes, a German-bred Zarak filly with international credentials. Group 1-placed in Germany, she’s still acclimating to American racing. She ran a sneaky-good fourth in a Churchill allowance in May, where she was buried on the rail with nowhere to run late, finishing just a length-and-change behind Parish Lane.

Boss Lady Bailey (6-1) was fourth behind Marksman Queen in the Keertana after a rail-skimming trip and will look to turn the tables for trainer Mike Maker. Meanwhile, Malibu Beauty, a multiple stakes winner on dirt, tries turf for the first time after a dominant score in the Obeah Stakes over this track.

Rounding out the field is Party, who enters off a narrow win in local allowance company but looks to need a big step forward to contend.

Since 1999, Motion has captured the Robert G. Dick with the likes of Bursting Forth, New Economy, Alternate (twice), Rosinka, Caprice, Real Smart, Guilty Twelve, and most recently Sopran Basilea in 2023.

“This is a race we circle on our calendar every year not only because of the success we have enjoyed in the race through the years, but also because it fits with our program,” Motion said.  “We have been fortunate to have many really nice fillies and mares who have done well going long on the grass, so it makes sense to be thinking about this race.  I cannot tell you the number of owners I have, who come to me and ask about running in this race.  A lot of things fit for us to have success in this race.”

On Saturday, all signs suggest that Marksman Queen might be the next to etch her name into the Motion legacy at Delaware Park.

ROBERT G. DICK MEMORIAL STAKES ENTRIES