Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Breeders’ Cup Challenge Entries: Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park July 19
Posted on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
Team Valor Stable’s Unbridled Belle tops a field of 7 in the 72nd renewal of the $1-million Delaware Handicap (G2) at Delaware Park on Sunday, July 19.
The 1 1/4-mile classic for fillies and mares has been designated as a 2009 Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge race with the Delaware Handicap winner automatically qualifying for the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic on November 6 at Santa Anita.
Delaware Handicap entries with jockeys, weight and morning line odds line up as follows:
- Temple Street under jockey Jon Court carries 111 lbs. with morning line odds of 10-1
- Morena under jockey A. R. Napravnik, 116 lbs., 8-1
- Icon Project under jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., 115 lbs., 6-1
- Acoma under jockey Julien Leparoux, 119 lbs., 5-2
- Unbridled Belle under jockey Richard Migliore, 119 lbs., 2-1
- Livin Lovin under jockey Ramon Dominguez, 112 lbs., 10-1
- Swift Temper under jockey Alan Garcia, 117 lbs., 4-1
The 6-year-old daughter of Broken Vow, Unbridled Belle, has enjoyed most of her career success at Delaware Park. The Kentucky-bred trained by Todd Pletcher has a Delaware Park record of 5 wins, a second, and a third from 7 starts with earnings of $977,800.
In 2007, Unbridled Belle won the Delaware Handicap by 7 3/4-lengths. The following year, she scored a 5 3/4-length victory in the prep, the Obeah Stakes (G3), before running third in the Delaware Handicap. This year, in her second outing of the season, she posted an 11-length score in the mile and an eighth $125,000 Obeah Stakes (G3) on June 20.
“She really likes Delaware, so we are happy to have her back another year and to give her another opportunity at this big race,” said race horse trainer Todd Pletcher.
Before the Delaware Handicap last year, Unbridled Belle was not herself and may have left at least a part of her race in the paddock that day.
“Something happened on the way over to the paddock,” Todd Pletcher said. “She got very hot and she just was not herself. She froze up in the paddock and did not behave very well, which is very much out of character for her. In spite of that, she still ran a very competitive race, but we thought it might have compromised her chances a little bit, she has been very good in the paddock since then and we will just do a little extra paddock schooling to cover our bases, but we do not anticipate any problems.”
A victory in the Delaware Handicap would be historic for both horse and trainer.
Todd Pletcher would equal the record of 4 wins for a trainer set by Henry Clark who the Delaware Handicap in 1958 & 1959 with Endine and in 1969 and 1970 with Obeah. Both Endine and Obeah were locally owned by Christiana Stables. Pletcher has won the Delaware Handicap in 2001 with Irving’s baby, in 2006 with Fleet Indian and in 2007 with Unbridled Belle.
“It is race we have been lucky in over the years,” said Todd Pletcher. “We have been fortunate enough to win the race three times. It is obviously a big race and it was one of the races for fillies and mares that offers a purse of million dollars and the race has a long and glorious tradition, so we would be delighted to win it again.”
Unbridled Belle, who will be ridden by Richard Migliore, will be attempting to become the sixth double winner of the Delaware Handicap. The double winners of the mile and a quarter classic for fillies and mares are Endine (1958 and 1959), Obeah (1969 and 1970), Blessing Angelica (1971 and 1972), Nastique (1988 and 1989) and Susan’s Girl (1973 and 1975).
The Del ‘Cap will have an approximate post time of 5:35 p .m. The race is the highlight of the Delaware Park Festival of Racing at the Wilmington oval.
Horse racing news edited from www.delawarepark.com.
Tags: Acoma, Icon Project, Livin Lovin, Morena, Swift Temper, Temple Street, Unbridled Belle
"Breeders’ Cup Challenge Entries: Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park July 19" was posted on Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 at 10:53 pm and is filed under Delaware Park, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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