Dalika edges Princess Grace to take Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf

FRANKLIN, Ky. – Dalika did it again. In a virtual replay of when they last met four weeks beforehand, Dalika turned back Princess Grace with a stubborn stretch run Saturday in winning the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf.

“She fights back,” said an elated Paul Varga, who owns Dalika in his Bal Mar Equine. “And this is her kind of course, too.”

Dalika was always on the lead in the one-mile Ladies, and Princess Grace was never far behind – just like when they were separated by a half-length in their one-two merry-go-round finish in the Grade 1 Beverly D. on Aug. 13 at Churchill Downs. The final furlong was essentially the same this time, too, as Dalika turned back Princess Grace to win by a neck.

Trained by Al Stall Jr., the winner returned $7.08 as second choice in a field of seven fillies and mares after finishing in 1:33.53 over a firm turf.

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“Princess Grace came to her, and (Dalika) saw her from the outside and dug back in,” said Brian Hernandez Jr., who again was aboard Dalika. “I got a little worried for about a jump, but my filly re-engaged. She’s learning to get better as she’s gotten older.”

Pre-race strategy changed somewhat for Dalika with the early scratches of two similarly speedy rivals, Lady Speightspeare and Stolen Holiday. When Dalika broke sharply from post 1, Hernandez took full advantage, with Princess Grace and jockey Florent Geroux helpless to make up the necessary ground at any point.

“Let her be fast,” Hernandez said. “She’s a fast filly and you just have to stay out of her way.”

“We’ve seen that movie before,” Stall said.

“They beat us fair and square,” said Mike Stidham, trainer of Princess Grace.

Market Rumor was up in a three-way photo to get third, followed by Henrietta Topham and Sunny One. Hendy Woods and Country Chick rounded out the order.

The Ladies Turf would have maxed-out with a $1 million purse if all Kentucky-bred bonuses were paid, but Dalika, as a German-bred, was ineligible, lowering the total purse to $726,580. It was her presence that raised the available purse from $750,000 to $1 million because of a clause specifying the raise if a Grade 1 winner started. Dalika, a 6-year-old gray by Pastorius, earned $334,180 when competing for the equivalent of a $550,000 purse and now has a bankroll of $1,289,036.

The $2 exacta (1-8) paid $16.98, the $1 trifecta (1-8-7) returned $27.74, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-8-7-6) was worth $15.55.