Delaware Park: Dannhauser enters Cape Henlopen Stakes with experience going long

Dannhauser defied his 22-1 odds when he rallied to defeat 13 rivals in last fall’s Laurel Turf Cup going 1 1/2 miles. He won’t be anywhere close to double-digit odds Wednesday, when he tackles 12 furlongs on turf again in the $50,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park.

A 5-year-old based at Monmouth Park this summer with trainer Kathleen O’Connell, Dannhauser enjoyed a 4-for-8 turf campaign in 2012, highlighted by stakes wins in a race restricted to Virginia-breds and his neck decision in the $103,000 Laurel Turf Cup. Dannhauser returned from a six-month freshening to win his 2013 debut in another stakes for Virginia-breds at Colonial Downs on July 6.

He is among three horses in the 10-runner Cape Henlopen lineup exiting the 1 5/8-mile John’s Call Stakes at Saratoga on July 31. Of that trio, Harrods Creek did the best when, despite a wide trip, he managed to finish fourth of 10, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Dannhauser and 5 1/4 lengths in front of Royal Bench, a former European-based runner who is winless in seven starts over the past two seasons.

Harrods Creek has had some success in marathons, winning the 2012 John’s Call and missing by a head in the 1 3/4-mile, Grade 3 Valedictory on Polytrack on closing day of Woodbine’s meet in December 2011.

School House and Unbroken each will stretch out in distance following dominant wins locally going a mile and 70 yards that produced identical Beyer Speed Figures of 91. The 4-year-old Unbroken has raced as far as 1 1/8 miles twice, including a runner-up finish in last summer’s Restoration Stakes at Monmouth Park. School House has never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles in 17 prior turf starts.

The 8-year-old Icabad Crane will make the third start of his comeback following 18 months on the sideline. Although he has raced primarily on dirt throughout his 32-race career, which includes a third-place finish in the 2008 Preakness, Icabad Crane did pick up a third-place finish on turf in the 2010 running of the 1 1/8-mile West Point at Saratoga.

The long distance of the Cape Henlopen should be no problem for the Irish-bred Manacor, who had been given a steady diet of steeplechase events between two miles and 2 3/8 miles last fall and this spring. Since returning to the flat in mid-June, Manacor has posted a win and two seconds in three starts, all against claiming company.