DEL Handicap – Grade II
DEL Race #2 1 1/4m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $400.000 For Fillies And Mares Three Years Old And Upward.
It is funny how some races attract a big field and some don’t. Most handicaps see full fields just because they give the best chance to older horses to beat the younger ones and yet here we have a $400 race over a classic distance but only six runners are going to the gate. There will be a few including me that will be kicking themselves for not throwing one in but regardless of numbers we have a competitive race to sort out, lets take a look at the runners:
1 Exploration Spankys Barn Van Dyke D 117
Bottom weight can be important in these races, especially when coupled with a nice draw so the fact that this one has only won once may not be a huge factor. The trainer clearly has a high opinion of this filly because after taking her time to win her maiden and then finishing ten lengths back two runs later in an allowance she has run in two graded stakes and actually done a lot better than she did in overnight races. I liked the way she stayed on to be beaten just two lengths in the Santa Margarita last time and that suggested to me that this extra furlong may just see more improvement. A bit of a dark horse that could surprise.
2 Laffy Crack Night Rider Stables Castellano J J 122
A big weight but she has the form and the draw to negate that drawback and should be a real threat. She has had a great season so far winning the La Troinne at grade one and the La Canada Stakes at grade two. She gives Starship Twister 5Lbs for a five length beating in the la Troienne and Fashionable 2 lengths for a two length beating in the same race so on handicapping she should still have enough in hand to beat them again. The fly in the ointment is Dream Woman who has a length and a half over Laffy Crack on their Apple Blossom Handicap runs and as they are on the same handicap marks again on form at least she cannot beat Dream Woman. It will be interesting to see whether form is the winner here or the draw makes the difference.
3 Cream Soda Nakamura Stables Pereira T J 119
She was a really promising three year old but when being bought by Nakamura Stables last summer she seemed to flatten out a little. Maybe it was the change of hay but whatever it was she disappointed in a few races and didn’t win again until April this year. It does seem that the trainer has found something now though, maybe they shipped some hay from Greeko Holdem or more likely the horse has found her improvement curve again. Whatever it was she has won her last two starts and looked right back to her best and gets in with a very competitive weight here. A winning chance.
4 Dream Woman Mb Stables Espinoza V 119
Has the beating of Laffy Crack on their Apple Blossom form and looks to have a very good handicap mark here for a filly that has won two graded stakes and taken home a cheque in two grade ones. I think this trip is right up her alley and her works are telling me that she is on song.
5 Starship Twister TwinTowersRacing Moran D 117
Shouldn’t be able to win on her la Troienne run where she was seventh beaten five lengths but she showed in the Bed O Roses Handicap last time that she can run a big race with a light weight and her trainer can often find races like this from unlikely sources. Her works are actually very strong and to be fair to her her last two starts have been from nasty draws so i certainly wouldn’t be writing her off here and she may just give you a run for your money of she is decent odds.
6 Fashionable Mb Stables Ryan S 120
The second stable runner she is another stakes winner that has placed at grade one and is one of the few that has won a stakes race over this trip. The last time she was drawn out was in the grade one Hirsch where she flew home for a close third and that is probably her career best so far so this wide gate wont be a problem to her. She gives the trainer a strong hand in this race.
SUMMARY
A very difficult race to weigh up as the class horses have the weight and the bottom weights have a few things going for them. On form alone it should be Dream Woman but it is hard to settle on any one horse as being a clear winner. It will be very close and as such may just throw up a winner like Starship Twister.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
