A Delaware Handicap win will send Bonny South to the Personal Ensign
Juddmonte Farms’ Bonny South has compiled an impressive record with a Grade 2 victory in last year’s Fair Grounds Oaks and a Grade 3 score in the Doubledogdare in her first start of 2021. Already multiple Grade 1-placed, Bonny South is looking for that elusive win at racing’s highest level.
First things first, however, as Bonny South will start as the prohibitive favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles at Delaware Park.
“Our goal is a Grade 1 this year,” trainer Brad Cox said Thursday. “But we thought this was a race that fit well on the schedule that would set her up for maybe taking a swing at the Personal Ensign [Grade 1, $600,000 at Saratoga on Aug. 28]. If she runs her race, she should be in the mix for sure.”
Bonny South enters the Delaware Handicap following a runner-up effort behind divisional leader Letruska in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont.
To Cox, Bonny South seems like a more mature and tactical filly this season.
“She seemed a little sharper in her works at Fair Grounds and Churchill leading up to the Doubledogdare,” he said. “She gave me a little more confidence off the layoff. Last year, I would say she was an average work horse. This year, a little bit better than average.”
As the 123-pound starting highweight, Bonny South will concede between three and seven pounds. Miss Marissa received four pounds from Bonny South when beating her in last fall’s Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan and will get that same weight allowance Saturday.
Trained by Jim Ryerson, Miss Marissa recently finished second in Delaware’s Obeah, the local prep for the Delaware Handicap. The Obeah was Miss Marissa’s first start in 143 days and Ryerson thought it was a good return.
“The four to five months got her in the end, but she ran great,” Ryerson said. “I find her a little difficult off the layoff in terms of how she goes, so she’s been a challenge to me first time back.”
Ryerson believes Miss Marissa’s “cruising speed is pretty decent” and envisions a trip close to the pace.
“That’s her race and it’s just a question of how far she can go and if she’s good enough to beat a couple in here,” he said.
Although trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. concedes that “it’s Bonny South’s race to win or lose,” he counters with both Gibberish and Queen Nekia. The former exits a runner-up effort in the Lady’s Secret at Monmouth and “likes to be forwardly placed,” according to Joseph. “We feel like the mile and a quarter fits her nicely.”
Queen Nekia pulled off a 29-1 upset in Gulfstream’s Grade 3 Royal Delta before finishing fourth in both the Top Flight and Ogden Phipps. Joseph admitted that “we were a bit adventurous with her” in the latter spot, a race in which she finished 11 1/4 lengths behind Bonny South.
Dream Marie became trainer Matthew Williams’ first stakes winner when she upended Miss Marissa over sloppy going in the Obeah.
“She’s kind of a rangy filly that wants to go long,” said Williams. “Hopefully, her affinity for the track will help her.”
Although Dream Marie is versatile, Williams believes the off-the-pace tactics that worked in the Obeah “is her most effective running style.”
Saracosa, second in last year’s Delaware Handicap, completes the field. Final Cut was entered but ran Wednesday at Indiana Grand and is expected to scratch.