Delaware wakes up in a big way to win Danger's Hour

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Delaware had lost all six of his starts since Juddmonte Farms sent the son of Frankel to the U.S. and trainer Chad Brown at the end of 2019. But the best race he had run here came going a mile at Aqueduct last fall when he was beaten a neck in the Artie Schiller Stakes.

When new connections purchased Delaware last November, Brown was more than happy to accept the horse back in his barn. After two disappointing starts for his new connections, Brown opted to start over and “take him back to the course that he last ran good at, which was here.”

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Harkening to his race here last November, Delaware came with a furious late run under Manny Franco to run down the pace-setting Rinaldi and upset the $100,000 Danger’s Hour by three-quarters of a length at odds of 10-1. Rinaldi was second by three lengths over Decorated Invader. Penalty, who bobbled while between horses early in the race, finished fourth and was followed by Hieronymus, Tiberius Mercurius and Analyze it, the 6-5 favorite also trained by Brown. According to Equibase, Analyze It bled.

Delaware’s final time of 1:33.67 established a course record for a mile over the inner turf course, eclipsing the mark of 1:34.13 established by Inspector Lynley winning this race in 2019.

Three days after Delaware finished third in the Artie Schiller Stakes, agent Steve Young purchased him out of the ninth session of the Keeneland November Bloodstock sale for $130,000 on behalf of Michael Dubb, Nice Guys Stable and Michael Caruso. Brown ran the horse in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale at Gulfstream in December, and he finished last of 10. Brown ran him again in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes in February, and he finished eighth.

Brown said Delaware didn’t care for the Gulfstream course and “had a terrible trip” at Tampa.

In the Danger’s Hour, Franco had Delaware in sixth position early while Rinaldi, under Trevor McCarthy, set the pace, stalked by Hieronymus and Analyze It. Around the turn, Rinaldi spurted away and hit the quarter pole in front while running six furlongs 1:10.27.

Delaware was following Decorated Invader down the backside and around the far turn. When Decorated Invader seemed to stall, Franco wheeled Delaware outside for the stretch. Still, he had only one beat straightening for home. But when Franco asked Delaware, “He took off on me,” he said.

“He had a lot to do turning for home, but he came with a really strong last quarter,” Brown said. “Manny rode him well.”

Delaware returned $22.20 to win.

With a victory under the horse’s belt, Brown hopes this is the start of a turnaround for Delaware, who was a Group 3 winner for Andre Fabre in France. Brown doesn’t have a particular race picked out for him, but a race like the Grade 3, $250,000 Poker going a mile at Belmont on June 20 could be one option.