Bon Jovi Girl back home at Delaware

Bon Jovi Girl, who dominated six other 2-year-old fillies while making her stakes debut and her first start beyond six furlongs a month ago, returns to her home base of Delaware Park for Saturday's $75,000 Blue Hen Stakes.

After Bon Jovi Girl romped by nearly 10 lengths in the off-the-turf, $100,000 Fairway Stakes going 1 1/16 miles, trainer Tim Ritchey felt confident enough to give her a shot at the Grade 1 Alcibiades over Keeneland's Polytrack on Oct. 3. She failed to fire her best shot while drifting in during the deep stretch of the 1 1/16-mile stakes, but worked a sharp four furlongs in 48.60 seconds on Monday.

According to DRF's Formulator, Ritchey is 3 for 9 with 2-year-olds returning in 15 days or less, with all but one of those horses finishing in the money.

Bon Jovi Girl, a daughter of Malibu Moon out of the Alydar mare Chipeta Springs, possesses the pedigree to be a good horse. Her older half-brother Gio Ponti has two wins and a pair of seconds in graded stakes on turf.

Of the four fillies who will challenge Bon Jovi Girl in the Blue Hen, Gnome's Delight might have the best chance to pull an upset. She won her career debut by nearly six lengths while earning an 84 Beyer Speed Figure that's 8 points faster than Bon Jovi Girl has ever run.

Gnome's Delight, from the high-percentage barn of Scott Lake, will be stretching out from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Notably, Lake is just 1 for his last 10 with 2-year-olds moving from sprints to routes.

Trainer Todd Pletcher ships in Boleyn, a maiden winner at Philadelphia Park in her two-turn debut last time out. Pletcher seldom brings horses to Delaware, but when he does, they are usually well-meant, as evidenced by his 3-for-9 record at this year's meet.