Delaware Handicap rematches Miss Leslie, Battle Bling

Miss Leslie and Battle Bling renew their rivalry Saturday in Delaware Park’s Grade 2, $500,000 Delaware Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles.

Miss Leslie, a daughter of Paynter trained by Claudio Gonzalez, won her sixth stakes race when besting favored Battle Bling in the local prep, the $150,000 Obeah going 1 1/16 miles on June 8. The Obeah was run at a snail’s clip and Miss Leslie saved ground at the back under Angel Cruz. She swung to the outside on the second turn, drifted out under left-handed urging in the stretch, then rallied resolutely to nip Battle Bling by a half-length.

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Gonzalez said Miss Leslie can be closer to the pace if necessary.

Battle Bling got the better of Miss Leslie when the two first met in the $100,000 Ladies at Aqueduct on Jan. 16. That race was at 1 1/8 miles, and trainer Rob Atras hopes Battle Bling will appreciate stretching out to 10 furlongs.

“It’s a bit of a question mark,” Atras said. “We think she’s going to handle it. She runs hard every time.”

Battle Bling raced wide for most of the way in the Obeah before coming up short.

“I’m happy she got a trip over the track and ran well,” Atras said.

In May, Battle Bling finished fourth in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs.

Let’s Cruise looks like the controlling speed from the rail under Carol Cedeno. Trained by Mac Robertson, Let’s Cruise earned a 93 Beyer when wiring a second-level allowance with a $35,000 claiming option at Hawthorne on May 8. That race was washed off the turf and Let’s Cruise dominated four overmatched foes, winning off by 15 1/2 lengths.

In her most recent start, Let’s Cruise finished second, beaten 1 3/4 lengths, in the $75,000 Romacaca over Hawthorne turf. The Delaware Handicap will be her first start past 1 1/16 miles.

Microcap was cross-entered in Saturday’s Mari Hulman George at Horseshoe Indianapolis but will run here, according to trainer Grant Forster. Stakes-placed in 2021, Microcap won for the $62,500 claiming option at Churchill on June 4, then finished fourth three weeks later in the $250,000 Lady Jacqueline at Thistledown, won by Army Wife.

“The winner had us hemmed in the whole way and she could never really get to run,” said Forster. “She probably should have been an easy third that day.”

Forster described Microcap as “probably one of the toughest fillies I’ve ever had mentally.”

“She’s not a horse that’s going to make up a ton of ground in the stretch, but if you can get her to the lead at some point in the stretch, then she’ll fight and fight and fight,” Forster said.

Grade 3 winner Bees and Honey, Tonal Vision, and Onyx complete the field.