Bibi Dahl headed to Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sandal’s Song and Lennilu earned automatic bids into one of the six juvenile events to be decided next month at Royal Ascot by virtue of their victories here last weekend in the Royal Palm Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies stakes, respectively. But they aren’t the only two youngsters who participated in those races likely to compete during the prestigious Ascot meeting.
On Thursday, trainer Jorge Delgado confirmed that Bibi Dahl, who finished a late-running second behind Lennilu in the Juvenile Fillies, will try her luck in the Group 3 Albany Stakes, which will be run day four of the five-day session on June 20.
Bibi Dahl was arguably the most notable of the young runners to participate on the Royal Palm card, having been purchased for $1.35 million by Amo Racing USA at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale. Bibi Dahl is by American Pharoah out of the Grade 3 winner Just Louise and is a half-sister to three-time Grade 2 winner Forbidden Kingdom.
Despite her purchase price, Bibi Dahl was a bit overlooked in the wagering for the Juvenile Fillies, going postward at 7-1 before ultimately finishing second, nearly four lengths behind the heavily backed and more experienced Lennilu. Bibi Dahl was easily best of the others while galloping out best of all into the clubhouse turn after the race.
“She ran as expected. It was a big field, she had a good trip, she closed really well, and galloped out very strong,” Delgado said. “And being by American Pharoah, one would expect she wants to go farther, so she’s going to run in the Albany Stakes going six furlongs at Ascot.”
Delgado said Bibi Dahl would likely ship to England sometime within the next week.
“The weather can be a little hard on them here, which is why we will send her out shortly so she can get acclimated over there,” said Delgado. “And most likely she will come back to our barn after she runs at Ascot.”
Amo Racing USA is owned by European football agent Jia Joorabchian, who has sent horses to Delgado the past several years. The most prominent name on that list is the ill-fated New York Thunder, who won his first four career starts for Delgado before breaking down tragically while seemingly on his way to victory in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens at Saratoga in 2023.
Power Squeeze has throat surgery
Delgado advised that his Grade 1 winner Power Squeeze exited her disappointing third-place finish in Saturday’s Serena’s Song Stakes at Monmouth Park with an entrapped epiglottis. She underwent surgery two days later.
“She scoped clean before the race but wasn’t breathing well during the Serena’s Song, after which we scoped her again and discovered the issue,” Delgado said. “She’ll be off a week, gallop two weeks, and then go back into training, which will force her to miss the month of June. The plan now is to bring her back in the Molly Pitcher” – a $500,000 Grade 3 – “on Haskell day.”
Power Squeeze rallied to defeat Candied by a head to upset the Grade 1 Alabama last summer at Saratoga.
Steal Sunshine to Monmouth Cup
Trainer Bobby Dibona said he is also pointing for a stakes on the July 19 Haskell undercard, the $400,000, Grade 3 Monmouth Cup, with Steal Sunshine, who is currently being freshened following a fourth-place finish in the Group 2 Godolphin Mile on April 5. He overcame a terrible start to finish full of run, 5 1/2 lengths behind race winner Raging Torrent but was beaten just two lengths for second money.
“He had a short break on the farm, he’s back in training, and he’ll start working again next week,” said Dibona. “The goal remains the Monmouth Cup, although I’m considering giving him a prep here on the turf. He’s got some siblings who have done remarkably well over that surface and I’ve always wanted to see how he’d run on grass.”
Hot pace expected
A field of eight fillies and mares will contest Sunday’s $57,000 allowance feature going five furlongs on the turf. The group includes last-out maiden winners Luna Louska and Alas Doradas along with more seasoned rivals such as Hot Cargo and Twizzle, both of whom already have five career victories.
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The field is loaded with speed and should have a lively pace. Hot Cargo figures to be among that group coming off a game neck victory under similar conditions on the grass here four weeks earlier for leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Hot Cargo led at every call before holding safe a late try from Obstreperous while matching her career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 80.
Twizzle spent the winter at Tampa Bay Downs, where she hit the board in each of her last three starts. She will be making her turf debut Sunday.
Luna Louska opened a long early lead before holding on for a one-length victory trying the Tapeta strip for the first time in her most recent outing and is one of two fillies trainer Gustavo Delgado entered along with Lionza.
Lionza was basically eased to the wire after encountering early trouble facing winners for the first time in her latest start after winning a maiden race in impressive wire-to-wire fashion on the turf just 16 days earlier.
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