Delaware Park: Damitrius Stakes lures Tomorrow's Tale, Smash
STANTON. Del. – Tomorrow’s Tale shoots for his third straight win Wednesday in the $50,000 Damitrius Stakes at Delaware Park, but he will have to beat Smash, who comes from Belmont Park for the powerful Bob Baffert stable. Seven are slated to run in the six-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds and up.
Tomorrow’s Tale last saw action June 17 at Delaware, dueling through a blistering six furlongs in 1:09.92 to come away with a head victory over optional-claiming competition. In his previous outing, Tomorrow’s Tale raced just off the pace, challenged for the lead into the stretch, and won by a length, again over optional-claiming sprinters. This time, he raced the six furlongs in 1:10.01.
A 5-year-old gelding, Tomorrow’s Tale has won 4 of 9 starts this year while racing at several Mid-Atlantic tracks and looks like one of the chief speed horses in the headliner.
Kendrick Carmouche will ride Tomorrow’s Tale for trainer Tim Kreiser.
Smash finished sixth in the $100,000 Lion Cavern Stakes at Belmont on June 26 last time out after having won his previous start, which came over optional-claiming sprinters, also at Belmont. He stalked the pace and then rallied late for a 2 1/2-length win in his second start with blinkers.
Another contender in the Damitrius is Back Forty, who came off a four-month break in the Moscarelli Memorial here last time out and chased the pace into the stretch before weakening to finish fourth. A winner at Oaklawn Park of his two starts prior to the Moscarelli, Back Forty also has a strong turn of early foot and can be expected to challenge Tomorrow’s Tale for the early lead.
Cop a Tune, from the Graham Motion barn, was third in the Moscarelli and came from just off the pace to capture an allowance sprint at Penn National in his previous race. He should be in a stalking position from his inside post Wednesday.
Broad Rule ran third in the Hockessin Stakes here and has met some tough sprinters over the past year or so. A strong pace duel would improve the chances of this late-runner from the Richard Small stable who counts the Fire Plug Stakes at Laurel among his victories.