Old Harbor breaks turf-course record winning George Rosenberger Memorial
The 6-year-old mare Old Harbor has spent the bulk of her career racing on turf at Belmont Park and Saratoga, winning two stakes restricted to New York-breds and finishing second in two other added-money events. But she also clearly has a fondness for the turf course at Delaware Park.
Making her second appearance locally in the $75,375 George Rosenberger Memorial, one of six stakes for Thoroughbreds on Saturday’s Owner’s Day program, Old Harbor shattered an 11-year-old course record.
Sent to the front by first-time rider Ricardo Chiappe, Old Harbor ($8.60) led throughout the 1 1/16-mile race, setting fractions of 47.22 seconds and 1:10.57, winning by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:39.95. The old course record of 1:40.51 was set by Whale on June 25, 2005.
Old Harbor, a daughter of Raffie’s Majesty based at Monmouth Park with trainer Russell Cash, became eligible for the Rosenberger, restricted to horses that ran in a non-stakes this meet, when she won an optional $50,000 claimer on Delaware’s turf a month ago. She is now 7 for 23 lifetime with earnings of $481,335.
Tela, fourth, beaten a length by Old Harbor when they met on Aug. 8, got second at 10-1 with Divine Dawn checking in third at 7-1, a length behind the runner-up. Catcha Rising Star, coming off a win in the $100,000 President’s Cup at Mountaineer, finished fifth as the 3-2 favorite.
Ain’t Got Time repeats in Governors Day
Horse-for-the-course Ain’t Got Time won the $75,000 Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemens Association Governors Day Stakes for the second straight year, coming close to the main-track record for a mile and 70 yards.
Ridden by Scott Spieth for trainer Tim Ritchey, Ain’t Got Time ($8.40), a 5-year-old son of Roman Ruler, completed the distance in 1:39.55. The track record of 1:39.20 was set by Distinct Vision on Aug. 25, 2003.
Fabulous Kid finished second, 7 1/2 lengths behind the winner, and Albano, part of a coupled entry with Etruscan, was third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Fabulous Kid. Warrioroftheroses wound up last of seven as the slight 2-1 favorite.
In the other stakes:
Debt Ceiling ($17.20), winless in 10 starts on dirt since taking the First State Dash as a 2-year-old three years ago, outdueled 2-5 favorite Cinco Charlie to score by a half-length in the $72,750 New Castle Stakes for Delaware-bred and Delaware-certified sprinters.
Ridden by Brian Pedroza for trainer Gina Rosenthal, the 5-year-old Debt Ceiling, a son of Discreet Cat, had made his last five starts sprinting five furlongs on turf, including a win in an optional $20,000 claimer at Suffolk Downs last time out. He ran six furlongs in 1:10.24.
Rosenthal collected another upset victory in the female sprinters division when Outwithdaddy ($17.60), whose two previous wins this season came for claiming tags of $15,000 and $20,000, surprised her opponents by scoring by three-quarters of a length over Lake Sebago in the $75,000 Tax Free Shopping Distaff. The 4-year-old Outwithdaddy, ridden by Daniel Centeno, had finished a distant fifth in this same stakes last year.
The 6-year-old Galiana, winner of the Distaff each of the last three years, was pulled up on the turn and vanned off as the even-money favorite.
Sunshine Included ($13), second in her career debut against Maryland-breds, cruised to a front-running four-length win under Erick Rodriguez in the $75,000 Small Wonder Stakes for Delaware-bred or Delaware-certified 2-year-old fillies. A daughter of Include trained by Anthony Pecoraro, Sunshine Include completed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.99.
Our Rombauer ($5.60), a first-time starter who blazed a half-mile from the gate in 46.60 seconds last Saturday, ran down Howboutthemcowboys in deep stretch to win by a half-length under Daniel Centeno in the $75,125 First State Dash for Delaware-bred or Delaware-certified 2-year-olds. Trained by Keith Nations, Our Rombauer, a son of Majestic Warrior, ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.70.
The 5-year-old Paddys Day ($2.80), with Chiappe riding for trainer Scott Powell, won for the 16th time in 21 lifetime starts and improved to 3 for 3 this season at Delaware by dominating the Grade 1, $50,000 Delaware Park Classic Handicap for Arabians.