DEL: Lynn Ashby duo takes aim at Dover

A field of promising 2-year-olds will line up Thursday at Delaware Park for the $75,000 Dover Stakes, a six-furlong dirt dash, and trainer Lynn Ashby will send out a pair of unbeaten Maryland-breds looking to make their mark against a competitive group.

The Dover Stakes, carded as the seventh race, is joined on the card by the $75,000 Blue Hen Stakes for two-year-old fillies. The Dover serves as a prep race for the October 11 Rocky Run, contested at one mile.

Majestic Blue (post 3) made a sharp first impression July 3 at Delaware, surging four wide to take command in mid-stretch before drawing clear by 4 1/2 lengths in a $45,000 maiden claimer. Bred by Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Holt and owned by Ashby in partnership with William R. Gotwals, the gray son of Blofeld has been training forwardly since that debut.

“He has been coming along nicely and has also grown since [his debut], so we are optimistic for a strong effort from [him] in the Dover,” Ashby said.

Lundi Loot (post 5) was also convincing in his July 16 debut against $25,000 maiden claimers, tracking the pace before kicking clear by seven lengths in a $45,000 maiden at Delaware. The chestnut son of First Mondays is co-owned by Ashby and breeder Dr. Thomas Bowman.

“Lundi Loot is small but he moves smoothly and is full of attitude,” Ashby said. “He won his debut impressively and he has shown signs of growing and maturing since.”

Both runners will be facing tougher company, including Magic Wallet (post 1), who dead-heated for the win in a Colonial Downs maiden while 10 1/2 lengths clear of the rest, and Max Capacity (post 4), a wire-to-wire debut winner at Colonial. Wall Art (post 7), claimed out of a dominant debut win for new trainer Kieron Magee, and Probably Dreaming (post 8), who overcame a bad stumble to win on debut at Laurel Park, add further depth to the field.

Ashby, who has twice won the Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware with juvenile fillies, is taking aim at the boys’ division this time.

“This is a fun time in the development of horses with the hope and potential they have in just starting to race,” she said. “We have been encouraged they are developing into the kind of horses we hope they can be.”

DOVER STAKES ENTRIES

PostPositionHorseOddsJockeyTrainerOwner
1Magic Wallet5-2Carrasco V RGonzalez Claudio AWilliam B. Bayne, Jr.
2Blue Forty Two10-1Maldonado GSeale ChristopherChristopher Seale
3Majestic Blue10-1Cedeno CAshby LynnLynn A. Ashby and William R. Gotwals
4Max Capacity7-2Cruz ASillaman Richard PHarbordale Stale, LBR Racing Stable and
5Lundi Loot8-1Batista J AAshby LynnLynn A. Ashby and Dr. Thomas Bowman
6Mr. Supreme10-1Hazlewood YCorrales JosePramote Changsila
7Wall Art4-1Rodriguez JMagee KieronUnbridled Stable LLC
8Probably Dreaming6-1Lopez C ECapuano GaryPaul L. Fowler, Jr.

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