Delaware Park: Ponzi Scheme needs to regain old form

Ponzi Scheme has plenty of back class, with three stakes victories during his campaigns in 2011 and 2012. Whether he is ready to regain that good form following two mediocre sprint performances and a dull effort at a flat mile, however, is open to debate.

The 6-year-old Ponzi Scheme will seek to snap a nine-race losing streak when he stretches out from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in Thursday’s $50,000 Stymie Stakes at Delaware Park.

In his only previous trip to Delaware, in 2011, Ponzi Scheme scored by 2 1/4 lengths in a two-turn overnight stakes similar to the Stymie. Ponzi Scheme earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure for his local win in the Joe French Memorial as a follow-up to his victory in the 1 1/16-mile Skip Away at Monmouth Park.

Ponzi’s Scheme’s only success in 10 starts over the past two seasons came when he beat the only two opponents left running following a five-horse spill in the six-furlong Decathlon at Monmouth Park on opening day of the 2012 season on May 12.

Elvis Trujillo, who was aboard that day and in the 2011 Skip Away, will be reunited with Ponzi Scheme for the first time since last September as the gelding makes his second start since moving into Jorge Navarro’s barn.

Second choice Koh I Noor (5-2) reeled off three straight victories in one-turn miles at Laurel Park last winter, including back-to-back Beyers of 99 and 100. He has yet to transfer that form in two subsequent tries around two turns.

Most recently, Koh I Noor finished third in the June 1 Joe French. The sixth-place finisher from that race, Don Dulce, returned to win a second-level optional $62,500 claimer at Belmont Park with a 92 Beyer.

Eldaafer won the Breeders’ Cup Marathon when it was a Grade 3 event in 2010 and is 2 for 3 at Delaware, including a win in an overnight stakes going 1 3/16 miles last September. He usually prefers more distance than 1 1/16 miles and has not been better than a distant third in three starts this year.

Rolling Yona steps up in class following back-to-back daylight wins. He most recently cleared his third allowance condition at Monmouth, winning by two lengths with a career-best 96 Beyer on June 21.

Silver Menance goes long on dirt for the first time since January 2012 after winning two sprints in his last three starts.