Delaware Park picks and analysis: August 28, 2025 * The Racing Biz

Delaware Park picks and analysis: August 28, 2025

Picks and analysis for this afternoon’s card from Delaware Park:

RACE 1

3. Candothis	Saw better last year at three; away a year but trainer DeMasi has a 20% strike rate off similar layoffs
7. Rama Bama Lana	Talk about big figs — trainer Ness is 8-for-18 first off the claim with maiden claimers moving up in class; gets go-to rider up and return to debut form puts her right there
6. Fab Girl	OK tries at CT

RACE 2

5. Nanisca	Probable speed of the speed has been scratched three times (including yesterday) since most recent start, a concern; but despite modest speed figs she’s shrugged off 3-10 and 3-5 favorites in two victorious starts
3. Warriors Jewel	Has really turned a corner in recent starts; looks for stalk-and-pounce trip
4. Margarita Daze	Speedy sort bested MTH rivals in latest, including show horse who won follow-up

RACE 3

IF ON TURF		IF ON DIRT
1. Padiddle	Trainer Simoff wins at a 22% clip first after the switch; has kept tremendous company including a couple of graded placings and an ok try in a SAR allowance	1. Padiddle
4. Hall Monitor	Even try versus a bit better in a paceless race latest	6. Tavern Time
5. Hegs	Moves up a level and already owns two wins; wants a zippy pace to close into	7. Rock Etiquette

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RACE 4

4. Embrace the Moment	Half-sis to a first-out winner and by hot young sire Yaupon (8-for-35 to date); firing a.m. bullets for a barn that can win first out
1. Honor Bright	Bred to be any kind, this $850k Quality Road is a half to three first-out winners and four graded stakes winners (!)
7. Rock Etiquette	Pair of good tries to date, one against the boys and one behind 1-5 Sina, by Gun Runner

RACE 5

IF ON TURF		IF ON DIRT
7. Chouette	Gun Runner half-sister to a Grade 2 winner debuts for a barn with a 32% strike rate and 3.58 ROI with 2yo firsters in special weight company	5. Candy Moonshine
1. Autonome	Gets blinkers on for third career starts following a good try when clear of the rest last out	7. Chouette
3. Inspire Courage	Well beaten in Spa bow by Cy Fair, who was beaten favorite next out in the Bolton Landing	8. Natures Fury

RACING NOTES

Jockeys Jaime Rodriguez and Angel Cruz each won a pair of races. Rodriguez won on Sassafrassness ($5.60) for trainer Jamie Ness and the Mark Shuman-trained Dominguez ($5.00), while Cruz scored on Coronova ($6.80) for Ricky Sillaman and Stop Watch ($11.00) for Cal Lynch…
Eight different trainers were on the board Wednesday, including Ted Maher, who sent out Style Me Royal ($10.80) to win the day’s featured allowance contest. Jose Vargas was in the irons, as Style Me Royal won for the third straight time and the second since Maher claimed the horse for $6,250 in June…

RACE 6

6. Compass Fire	The speed didn’t come back at all in latest but might here with a couple speedsters signed on; bested morning line favorite three back
5. Ritabook	Razor-sharp runner has been in the triple five straight, including consecutive wins; drawn outside the other speed and wheels back on shortish rest
3. Velvet Vixen	Thrashed by top selection in latest; will be vying for early supremacy with #5

RACE 7

IF ON TURF		IF ON DIRT
2. Hiding in Honduras	Debut runner is out of a stakes winner and is half to a stakes winner; barn is 6-for-14 running in special weight company at DEL	4. King Size
4. King Size	Breeding says turf is what this one wants; the only horse to work faster the one time this breezed on the lawn was the stakes winner Bergen	3. Scorpius
1. Toro Jr.	Solid middle move into contention before tiring in debut	9. Bully for You

RACE 8

3. Wicked Kitten	Speed of the speed; let’s see if she can steal away on the front end
1. Padrino’s Gold	Credible versus similar two back and gave a good account of herself in latest
2. Funzalo	Seems to be on the improve