Ceisteach refuses to lose in Robert G. Dick Memorial

STANTON, Del. - Ceisteach refused to let Queen's Parade by in the stretch of the Grade 3, $200,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park on Saturday, holding on to win by a head under jockey Channing Hill.

Ceisteach, a 4-year-old making her fifth United States start after having raced in her native Ireland, pressed the early pace in the Dick Memorial outside pacesetting Striking Style. She drew clear in the upper stretch, was challenged from the inside by Queen's Parade, but refused to quit.

"She didn't come back to me as much as I would have liked early, but she took a few breaths on the far turn and had plenty left when the horse came to us on the inside," Hill said.

Ceisteach, who is trained by Tom Proctor, paid $13 to win as the third betting choice.

Queen's Parade, trained by Shug McGaughey, was never far back. She finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Kitten's Point, who was third.

Kitten's Point, part of an even-money entry with fifth-place finisher Chat, was forwardly placed outside horses throughout.

Fasnacloich, finished fourth, a neck behind Kitten's Point.

The final time for the 1 3/8 miles on firm turf was 2:16.97. The fractions were 25.92, 51.73, 1:16.54, 1:41.06, and 2:05.22.

Cape Henlopen: Holiday Star comes on again

Holiday Star pressed an amazingly slow pace in the 1 1/2-mile Cape Henlopen, took the lead entering the stretch, was headed by Montclair, and then came on again in the shadow of the wire to win by a head.

Holiday Star, a 5-year-old homebred of George Strawbridge Jr.'s Augustin Stable, raced outside pacesetting longshot Willy d'Rocket through fractions of 26.82, 54.62, 1:20.78, 1:46.46, and 2:10.48. He looked home free after taking the lead until Montclair shot by him from the inside in midstretch, passing him by at least a neck and maybe as much as a half-length. Holiday Star dug in once he saw Montclair, who was several paths to his inside, and put his nose down on the wire first.

Montclair ran very well in defeat. After sitting off the slow pace, he was the only horse in the field to make a late move.

A 5-year-old making his United States debut for Christophe Clement, Montclair was sent off as the 3-1 favorite in the eight-horse field. He waited for room behind horses nearing the stretch, swung to the inside in upper stretch, went around Willy d'Rocket, and surged to the lead.

Holiday Star paid $13.20 and was timed in 2:33.76. He has now won 5 of 17 starts, all for trainer Graham Motion.

Set to Music finished third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Montclair.

Dashing Beauty: Galiana finishes strongly

Galiana improved her Delaware Park main-track record to 8-1-0 from nine starts by winning the $50,000 Dashing Beauty Stakes by three-quarters of a length over Keep Crossing.

Galiana, who is owned and trained by Rodolfo Romero, was taken wide into the stretch by jockey Carol Cedeno and finished strongly to hold off Keep Crossing, who also closed well, in the final sixteenth.

Galiana, a 5-year-old mare, is now 14 for 27 in her career with earnings of $571,621. She paid $5.20 and covered the six furlongs in 1:09.35.

Satan's Mistress, who raced on the early pace through fractions of 22.06 and 44.71, finished third, three lengths behind Keep Crossing.