$1 million Del 'Cap still meet highlight
Aside from some minor shuffling of dates and one renamed race, the 2006 stakes schedule at Delaware Park closely resembles the schedule at the Stanton, Del., track last year.
Each of the 28 stakes from last year returns at the same purse level, highlighted by the $1 million Delaware Handicap for fillies and mares on July 16.
The Delaware Handicap undercard has gotten a boost with the addition of the $200,000 Caesar Rodney. The 1 1/8-mile turf race was run in early September last year.
Also moving are the $100,000 Sussex and the Grade 3, $500,000 Kent Breeders' Cup.
The Sussex, a 1 1/16-mile turf race that was contested in late July last year, now becomes the season's second grass stakes, on June 24. The Kent, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds, is moving from June to Sept. 2, the Saturday before Labor Day.
One other turf race, the $75,000 Nick Shuk for 3-year-olds, has been shifted from June to become Delaware's lone stakes during August.
The Vincent Moscarelli, a six-furlong sprint, moves from October to mid-September.
The one "new" race is the $75,000 Peach Blossom, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies on opening day. All that's really changed, however, is the name. The race was run as the Legal Light under the same conditions in 2005.
In addition to the 28 stakes, Delaware will offer a series of 22 overnight stakes, worth $50,000 apiece.
The 136-day meet will run from April 22 to Nov. 19.
2006 stakes schedule
| DATE | EVENT | CONDITIONS | DISTANCE | PURSE |
| Sat.,April 22 | PEACH BLOSSOM | 3YO F | 6 furlongs | $75,000 |
| Sat.,May 6 | FRANCIS "JOCK" LABELLE | 3YO | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat.,May 20 | SWEET N SASSY HANDICAP | F&M, 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 75,000 |
| Sat., May 27 | GO FOR WAND | 3YO F | 1 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,June 3 | JOHN W. ROONEY | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,June 10 | BRANDYWINE HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,June 17 | OBEAH HANDICAP | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,June 17 | SUSAN'S GIRL B.C. | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 175,000 |
| Sat.,June 24 | SUSSEX HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,July 1 | DENISE RHUDY | 3YO F | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 75,000 |
| Sat.,July 15 | DELAWARE OAKS (G2) | 3YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 500,000 |
| Sat.,July 15 | ROBERT G. DICK B.C. HANDICAP | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 3/8 miles (T) | 300,000 |
| Sat. July 15 | R.R.M. CARPENTER HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sun.,July 16 | DELAWARE HANDICAP (G2) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/4 miles | 1,000,000 |
| Sun.,July 16 | LEONARD RICHARDS (G3) | 3YO | 1 1/16 miles | 300,000 |
| Sun.,July 16 | LIGHT HEARTED | F&M, 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sat.Aug. 12 | NICK SHUK | 3YO | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 75,000 |
| Sat.Sept. 2 | KENT BREEDERS' CUP (G3) | 3YO | 1 1/8 miles (T) | 500,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 9 | ENDINE HANDICAP (G3) | F&M, 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 200,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 9 | GEORGE ROSENBERGER | F&M, 3YO & Up | 1 1/16 miles (T) | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 9 | OWNERS' DAY HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 1/8 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Sept. 16 | VINCENT MOSCARELLI HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 100,000 |
| Sat,Sept. 30 | KELSO HANDICAP | 3YO & Up | 1 3/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 7 | DELAWARE CERTIFIED | 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 7 | DELAWARE CERTIFIED DISTAFF | F&M, 3YO & Up | 6 furlongs | 50,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 21 | DOVER | 2YO | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |
| Sat.,Oct. 28 | BLUE HEN STAKES | 2YO F | 1 1/16 miles | 100,000 |