It’s a 6-stakes Saturday at Delaware Park as the local Derby and Oaks highlight the big card in the First State. The nation’s top riders will be here, including Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose Ortiz, John Velazquez and Luis Saez. First post is 12:20 pm ET with a dozen races offered, including a late pick 5 in which horseplayers at Xpressbet and 1/ST BET can take advantage of a $2,500 Hit & Split promotion.
Let’s get to work.
Race 8: $150,000 Obeah Stakes
Key local Delaware Handicap prep lured 8 entries with Brad Cox (#6 Chasten) and Bob Baffert (#7 Cash Call) always formidable. Cash Call makes her second start off the layoff with a perfect allowance sprint prep. She won sprint-to-route in the Summertime Oaks around this time last year at Santa Anita. Chasen was even against tougher in the La Troienne on the Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill when snapping a 2-race winning streak. She fits here and will be moving late. Rail speed from #1 Amalfi Drive, another impeccable Godolphin home-bred could play well exiting a pair of 1-turn races while in sharp form.
Race 9: $200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes
I was head over heels for #1 Desvio when he returned to Keeneland for the Elkhorn in April, only to run a big second that paled to the monster performance of Burnham Square that day. Trainer Madison Meyers could have stayed home in Maryland for the Henry S. Clark and prep toward the Dinner Party at Laurel on Preakness Day, but took the confident bite of the apple instead. That leaves Desvio in excellent timing now for the Cape Henlopen and a summer campaign. Also note John Velazquez passes up the mount on Todd Pletcher’s Grande at Monmouth in the Salvator Mile to take on these Delaware assignments. Desvio will be my single in a race in which #8 Soleil Volant, #5 Just a Touch (who may struggle with 12 furlongs) and #4 Il Siciliano would be the backup options in case of a scratch.
Race 10: $300,000 Delaware Derby
#3 Out of the Woods has been a vastly improved horse in his 2 starts since leaving California for Phil D’Amago and should be able to get to the rail with early speed here and reduce a lot of variables in his first stakes start. John Velazquez rode to a Kentucky Derby Day allowance score at Churchill and has a great knack for piloting rail speed and floating rivals on the clubhouse turn, taking an edge. #5 Sovereign Law was a half-length back of the top pick in Louisville and Brad Cox turns the reins over to Irad Ortiz Jr., a move clearly capable of erasing the deficit all things equal. #4 Litmus Test hasn’t been anywhere near the colt at 3 that many expected to see after a solid juvenile campaign. Bob Baffert turns to Jose Ortiz fresh off a Belmont Stakes victory last Saturday.
Race 11: $300,000 Delaware Oaks
Several good options exist in this 1-1/16 miles Grade 3 test that includes alumnae of the Kentucky Oaks, Black-Eyed Susan, Eight Belles and Beaumont. Delaware can be a deeper surface that not all shippers take to, so Black-Eyed Susan runner-up #1 Jumping the Gun’s 3-for-4 local record last year could be a valuable bullet in the holster. Though both exiting sprints, #7 Luv Your Neighbor and #9 Sneaky Good ran very well against better competition in the Fair Grounds Oaks and Honeybee around 2 turns earlier in the spring. Both can be big factors on the return to the route game. #2 Pashmina is well-drawn and twice finished just behind Love Your Neighbor, though the move to red-hot Jose Ortiz could spell a reversal.
Race 12: maiden
A field of 10 turf route maidens line up (plus a main-track only entrant) in the nightcap. #3 Sound Bite gets an excellent post after a couple of even Florida efforts. Trainer Miguel Clement’s barn is going very well of late and it could be graduation day. #9 Scanner was his own worst enemy in his Laurel debut. Trainer Graham Motion got him off the training center at Fair Hill and worked locally in the 4 weeks since and perhaps gets his mind right with Irad Ortiz Jr. taking the return call. I’ll hold with that pair while considering #11 Don’t Tell Tim and #4 Practical Joker has viable alternatives in case of scratches.
The Ticket:
6,7,1 with 1 with 3,4,5 with 1,7,9,2 with 3,9 = $36 for 50 cents
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