DEL Handicap – (Grade lll)

Purse $500.00 – For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward
1 1/8 Miles – Dirt – Delaware Park – September 26, 2026

The 21st running of the DEL Handicap features five mares battling for a share of the $500.00 purse in one of Delaware Park’s biggest races of the meet. Since the 2006 inaugural running, this race has seen several changes to its distance, grade, and purse. The DEL Handicap spent most of its history at 1 1/4 miles and was eventually shortened to 1 1/8 miles just last year. It also began as a G2, held G1 status for a stretch, and returned back to G2 before being run as a G3 for the first time in the 2025 edition. The purse also moved from $1,000.00 in the early years to $750.00 for much of its past, then fluctuated before landing at $400.00 last year. Owner Team 7 Illusions has been the most successful in the DEL Handicap with a total of five victories following Catachresis’ four length victory in 2006. Since 2025 was the first time this race was contested at 1 ⅛ miles, Mightiness holds the stakes record capturing the first graded win of her career in a final time of 1:48.13. The starting gate may be less crowded than usual, with five entered against a 20-year average of 8.2, but there’s certainly no shortage of competition in this field. Let’s go through each contender!

1. Night Cruise – (Mb Stables, J J. Hernandez) Night Cruise has won three of five starts this year, including the Irish Stakes on turf and a six-furlong dirt allowance at Saratoga last time out, where she prevailed by a head. That Saratoga win was a great bounceback after she finished ninth in the Sidney (G2) and fourth in a Woodbine allowance. Four of this mare’s eight career victories have come on turf, but her latest effort shows she can be effective on dirt as well. The bigger question is distance: all five of this California-bred’s starts this year have been around one-turn, and she has not routed since finishing third at 1 1/16 miles in January 2025. Still, her record of two wins, a second, and three thirds from seven route races gives Mb Stables reason to try her at 1 1/8 miles.

2. Lab Virus – (Saratoga Stud, J. Bravo) This daughter of Declassified returns to the DEL Handicap after missing by just a head behind Mightiness in last year’s running. She went winless in five starts during 2025, then ended that drought with a two-length allowance victory at 1 1/4 miles at Ellis Park in August—her first win since the 2024 Gazelle (G3). Lab Virus followed up that effort with a seventh in the Personal Ensign (G1) last time out, though she was beaten only three lengths in a highly competitive 12-horse field. This five-year-old mare has also finished second in the 2024 CCA Oaks (G1), so graded company is familiar territory. With 22 of her 24 career starts coming in longer races, the distance suits her; the question is whether she can reproduce last year’s near miss over this main track.

3. Mightiness – (Winning Link Stables, J. McKee) Mightiness returns to defend her DEL Handicap title after winning last year’s running by a head over Lab Virus and setting the stakes mark of 1:48.13 at the new 1 ⅛ mile distance. It was one of four victories for her in 2025, a season she closed with another G3 win in the Falls City Stakes. This New York-bred has since changed barns, with Team 7 Illusions selling her for $150.00 back in May. Mightiness has yet to win in four starts this year, though her third in the Shuvee (G2) and fifth beaten just three-quarters of a length in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) show she has remained competitive. This mare comes off a last-place finish in the Personal Ensign (G1), so a return to Delaware may be just what she needs to rediscover last year’s form.

4. Wasted Away – (Mb Stables, E. Maldonado) Mb Stables’ second entrant brings an imposing résumé to the DEL Handicap, with ten career wins and $4,773.00 in earnings. Wasted Away captured the Kentucky Oaks, CCA Oaks, Alabama, and Breeders’ Cup Distaff during a remarkable 2024 campaign. She then added the Phipps and Beholder in 2025. The daughter of Fire N Fury defended her Beholder title this March for her seventh career G1 victory. Although that is her only win from seven starts this year, she has remained dangerous at the top level, finishing third by a length in the La Troienne and second by a neck in the Clement L. Hirsch two back. Wasted Away’s 11th in the Fleur de Lis (G2) and tenth in the Personal Ensign (G1) last time out show the other side of her recent form. A return to her best would make her a major contender. My top pick.

5. Gutter Black – (Mo Mentum Farm, M. Gutierrez) This mare has been a consistent presence in graded company since being claimed for $80.00 at Santa Anita back in April 2025. Gutter Black won the ONT Matron (G3) later that year and added the Royal Delta (G3) by a nose this February. She also showed she could compete at the highest level when finishing third by just half a length in last year’s Clement L. Hirsch (G1). More recently, this California-bred finished third by a length in the Santa Margarita (G2) and missed by a neck in the Pitcher Stakes (G2) two back. She was sixth in the Hirsch last time out, beaten three lengths. That result was a step back, but Gutter Black has finished in the money in 18 of her 27 career starts. The return to G3 company could give her a good chance to add another graded victory.

– AJM

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES