Delaware certified stakes roundup
Haileysfirstnotion, Beautiful Blome among the winners
The Biz
September 11, 2026
Delaware Park hosted six handicaps for Delaware bred and certified runners Friday, with two-year-olds taking center stage early and older runners doing the honors later.
Here are stakes snippets from the day.
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TAX-FREE SHOPPING DISTAFF
Cathy Denselbeck and Kelly Lynn Deiter’s Irish Jig posted the upset victory in the Tax Free Shopping Distaff restricted to Delaware bred or certified $125,000 Tax Free Shopping Distaff at Delaware Park today. Under Vincent Cheminaud, the three-year-old Irish War Cry filly rallied outside to win by over two lengths, paying $11.80 as the longest shot in the field.
Trainer by Deiter, Irish Jig won for the third time in six career outings and logged her second stakes win. Irish Jig was bred in Maryland by Bell Gable Stable.
SMALL WONDER
London Reid Thoroughbreds and Kismet Thoroughbred Farms’ Martiniwithatwist prevailed in a hard-fought renewal of the Delaware bred or certified $125,000 Small Wonder Stakes for two-year-old fillies. Martiniwithatwist took three tries to earn her diploma but enjoyed the experience so much she doubled up with today’s win under jockey Yedsit Hazlewood. In fifth early, Martiniwithatwist rallied while wide on the turn, inched away in mid-stretch, and then hung on to win by a neck over Olivia’s Legacy, who finished a near-miss second in stakes company for the second consecutive outing.
Martiniwithatwist is trained by Gary Capuano and has earned nearly $121,000 in four outings.
FIRST STATE DASH
Strong Suspicion and Walt’s Notion renewed acquaintances in the $125,000 First State Dash for Delaware bred or certified 2-year-olds, but this time it was Strong Suspicion who got the money. One-two in a Delaware maiden race Aug. 14, the rivals hooked up nearing the quarter-pole in this six-furlong contest and ran shoulder-to-shoulder through the stretch, with Strong Suspicion prevailing by a head in 1:11.22.
Now 1-for-2, Strong Suspicion is trained by Lynn Ashby for Curio Racing Group and was ridden to victory by Jose Batista.
LEWES H.
Runnymoore Racing’s Delaware-loving Understudy Kitty improved to 4-for-5 over the Delaware Park sod with a victory in today’s Lewes Handicap for three-year-olds and up that are Delaware bred or certified. Understudy Kitty, a five-year-old Kitten’s Joy gelding, swept a pair of Delaware certified events on the lawn this year, winning the Sussex Handicap on Aug. 1. In between, he ran fourth in a handicap at Colonial Downs.
Trained by Michael Matz, Understudy Kitty is now 5-for-16 in his career with more than $225,000 in earnings. Vincent Cheminaud earned his second stakes win of the day.
OGLETOWN H.
Charles Blanford and Theresa Haupt’s Beautiful Blome rallied down the outside to win the $75,000 Ogletown Handicap for fillies and mares three and up by three parts of a length. A homebred for Blanford, Beautiful Blome earned her seventh win from 19 career starts and has earned over $300,000. Under jockey Paco Lopez, Beautiful Blome saved ground for much of the trip while eyeing the speed of Intrepid Mo, who crept away from rivals nearing the lane. But Lopez got his mount off the fence for running room, and she wore down the leader.
Beautiful Blome paid $5.80 to win.
NEW CASTLE H.
Daniel Crowley and Non Stop Stable’s Haileysfirstnotion rallied from well off a quick early pace to win the $125,000 New Castle Handicap for three-year-olds and up at six furlongs. Spikezone, pressed early by Chipotle, held second. Under Yedsit Hazlewood, Haileysfirstnotion, typically engaged in the early running, settled nicely and rallied on the outside to win by a neck in 1:09.93 as the 3-10 favorite.
A Maryland homebred, the five-year-old Haileysfirstnotion now has seven wins from 15 career starts and more than $350,000 in earnings.
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