Belmont: European import Dealbata wins U.S. debut in Mohegan Sky

ELMONT, N.Y. - From the same connections that brought you 2011 female turf champion Stacelita and the multiple graded stakes winner Zagora, comes their latest European import - Dealbata.

In her first start for owner Martin Schwartz and trainer Chad Brown, Dealbata split horses in midstretch and powered home a one-length winner of Saturday’s $90,000 Mohegan Sky Stakes at Belmont Park. Bubbly Jane, making her first start since September finished second by one-half length over Federation.

It was the fourth win from six starts for Dealbata, an Irish-bred 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi who began her career in France with Mikel Delzangles. She was making her first start since last Nov. 22.

“She came in during the winter time at Palm Meadows. She took a little longer to adjust than some of the other ones, but she really turned the corner when we brought her to New York,” Brown said.

In the Mohegan Sky, Dealbata sat in behind horses under Ramon Dominguez, found running room in upper stretch, and kicked home nicely in the final furlong.

Dealbata covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.70 over a firm inner turf and returned $5.50 as the favorite.

“We were looking for something that made sense to get her started and this race made a lot of sense,” Brown said. “I think it was the right distance for what I was looking for to get her started and Ramon just rode an absolutely beautiful race. I think he fits her very, very well.”

Brown said he would look for a graded stakes next for Dealbata, but was unlikely to run her in the Grade 1 Diana on July 28 at Saratoga, where he is expected to run defending Diana winner Zagora.

Though Dealbata was running in 1 1/4-mile races in Europe, Brown isn’t convinced she wants to run that far.

“I’d probably be looking at a mile and an eighth and take it a sixteenth at a time and see where she takes me,” Brown said. “But the quality’s there.”