Dalika, Princess Grace face off again in Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf

Four weeks after they dominated the Grade 1 Beverly D. as the respective one-two finishers, Dalika and Princess Grace will be rematched under different circumstances Saturday when turning back to a one-turn mile in the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf.

Dalika earned a hard-fought victory Aug. 13 in the Beverly D. over Princess Grace on the beleaguered Churchill Downs turf when they were opposed by just three other fillies and mares. On Saturday they’ll face eight others in the Ladies Turf, which leads off an all-graded stakes pick five (races 8-12) as the eighth race on a blockbuster card.

Dalika led from the start of the 1 1/8-mile Beverly D., with Princess Grace giving closest chase throughout. In midstretch, Princess Grace actually got in front, only to have Dalika battle back for her first Grade 1 score.

This time around, with Dalika breaking from post 1 under Brian Hernandez Jr. and Princess Grace leaving from post 8 with Florent Geroux aboard, things could unfold far differently, at least out front.

“There won’t be any sense of urgency to make the lead like we did at Churchill,” said Al Stall Jr., who trains 6-year-old Dalika for the Bal Mar Equine of Paul Varga. “One thing she’s done better at age 6 is get off the bridle a little more. This is a different kind of race, with more speed in there than last time. If the outside speed goes out and comes over, and she’s down in there where she’s going to be, my guess is she’ll be comfortable. The rest will be up to her and Brian.”

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The purse for the Ladies Turf is listed at $750,000, including $350,000 in bonuses for registered Kentucky-breds, but it will go to $1 million if Dalika starts, owing to a provision that mandates a purse hike if a Grade 1 winner runs. Ironically, as a German-bred, Dalika will be running for the equivalent of $550,000 while ineligible for the remaining $450,000 in bonuses.

Princess Grace, trained by Mike Stidham for Susan and John Moore, has won 7 of 12 starts, including not only a half-length score over Dalika in this race last year but also victories in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere and Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon. She, too, has tactical speed that may require savvy timing from Geroux, given the presence of other quick fillies such as Lady Speightspeare (post 4, Emma-Jayne Wilson) and Stolen Holiday (post 9, Jose Lezcano). Both are entered off Grade 3 wins for their respective Hall of Fame trainers, with Lady Speightspeare accounting for the Trillium on Aug. 13 at Woodbine for Roger Attfield and Stolen Holiday the Eatontown on June 18 at Monmouth Park for Shug McGaughey.

Capable closers in an interesting lineup include Hendy Woods (post 3, Julien Leparoux) and Flippant (post 5, Rafael Bejarano), both of whom rallied resolutely when they dead-heated for the win in an undercard stakes on the July 9 Indiana Derby card at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The 50-cent all-graded stakes pick five carries a low takeout of 14 percent.