Delaware: Ritchey entry strong in Fairway
Mid-Atlantic trainers toying with the idea of sending a 2-year-old grass runner to this fall's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita will get a better idea of whether they have a viable candidate Saturday when Delaware Park offers a pair of new $100,000 turf stakes for juveniles.
The Fairway for fillies, which goes as race 4, and the Go for the Green Juvenile, race 8, will both be contested at 1 1/16 miles.
Regardless of whether the race remains on turf or gets switched to the main track, trainer Tim Ritchey has a potent one-two punch in the Fairway with his coupled entry of Megachurch and Bon Jovi Girl.
Megachurch won her career debut by more than four lengths, closing strongly into slow fractions to fly home her last quarter-mile in 22.80 seconds in a one-mile maiden race.
Bon Jovi Girl stretches out beyond six furlongs for the first time after essentially pairing up top Beyer Speed Figures of 71 and 72 in dirt sprints.
Trainer David Donk brings in a pair of New York-bred maidens who showed some talent in turf routes at Saratoga. Although Dancing Daisy missed by a nose and finished three-quarters of a length in front of stablemate Freedom Rings, Freedom Rings displayed the better finishing kick, with a final fraction of 29.80 seconds, compared to 30.40 seconds by Dancing Daisy.
Bunker Hill, unbeaten in two starts on dirt, and Tatnall Street, a maiden winner when switched to a turf route for his second start, are the prime contenders among eight colts and geldings in the Go for the Green.
Bunker Hill most recently won the off-the-turf Continental Mile at Monmouth Park and owns a Tomlinson grass rating of 281, which indicates he should handle turf.
Tatnall Street romped by seven lengths in a one-mile turf race on Aug. 6. None of the three runners he beat who have raced since then has won, however, an indication Tatnall Street may not have beaten a good group.
Two other possibilities are Mr. Keeper and Scientist, both of whom stretch out after good efforts on turf going 5 1/2 furlongs.