Dalika gives Al Stall Jr. win in race named for his father

Dalika never has been able to win consecutive starts, but she has no trouble posting regular wins. Victorious two races ago in the Blushing K.D. Stakes in December at Fair Grounds, Dalika finished a no-excuse fifth there last month in the Marie Krantz Memorial, but she was back on her game again Saturday capturing the $100,000 Albert M. Stall by one length.

It surely was an especially meaningful win for her trainer, Al Stall, son of the race’s namesake, a prominent figure around Fair Grounds, an owner and breeder, and a former chairman of the Louisiana Racing Commission.

Stall – the trainer – has said before how well Dalika gets along with jockey Miguel Mena, and Mena played a considerable part in this victory. Dalika, who tracked the leader from second, bore down on pacesetting His Glory at the furlong grounds, while Joy Epifora, full of run, tried to squeeze through a hole between His Glory and Dalika. But Mena, and Dalika held firm in their path and Joy Epiflora was stymied behind the tiring leader.

Temple City Terror came with a nice run between horses as Pass the Plate rallied on the far outside, but Dalika’s “A” game was too much for them.

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Joy Epifora wound up a close fourth and her rider, James Graham, lodged an objection against the winner to go along with a stewards’ inquiry. After a review, the stewards let the order of finish stand.

Dalika now is a six-time winner from 18 starts, 15 of which have come for Stall, who got the filly when she was purchased following a three-race European career, two of the starts in Germany, where she was bred, and the last in France. In the French race, Dalika ran well over soft going and she coped comfortably enough with a soft course Saturday.

His Glory set a moderate tempo, going a half-mile in 49.91 seconds, after breaking from the rail, Dalika rating comfortably behind her until Mena asked his mount for more in upper stretch.

Dalika ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.16 and paid $5.80 to win as the second choice. Favored Secret Message, racing wide, was in striking distance in upper stretch but came up empty.

Five-year-old Dalika is by Pastorius out of Drawn to Run, by Hurricane Run, and is owned by Bal Mar Equine.