Delray ships back in looking for another local win

Parx shipper Delray looks for her second consecutive victory at Aqueduct on Friday when she heads a field of six entered for a first-level allowance/optional $100,000 claiming race scheduled for seven furlongs.

Delray, trained by Tyler Servis, has made two previous ships to New York. On New Year’s Day, Delray got beat a nose by Shadyside in a starter race going 6 1/2 furlongs. She returned on Jan. 30 to win that same condition by 4 1/4 lengths. Of the five horses Delray defeated that day, three came back to win their next starts.

“The time she got beat on Jan. 1 we missed a ton of training at Parx. That was the determining factor why she got beat that day,” Servis said. “We always had high hopes for her.”

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Delray, a daughter of Munnings finished second the only other time she attempted seven furlongs, that in a maiden $45,000 claiming race at Laurel Park. Servis added blinkers to her equipment right after that.

“I think they keep her a little bit more focused later on in the race,” Servis said. “In her first couple of races I don’t know if it was the distance or just the lack of focus there late. I thought she might have hung a little bit.”

Servis did note that Delray’s last race came when she was permitted to race on the anti-bleeding medication Lasix for the first time. Delray races on Lasix again on Friday.

“I never had an issue with her in the morning, but it seems that she took a huge step forward when she got it,” Servis said.

Frankie Pennington rides Delray from the outside post.

Trainer Linda Rice entered the uncoupled pair of Fortuna Mia and Army Gal. Fortuna Mia, a daughter of Violence, has run in five consecutive stakes, including the Busher Invitational last out, where she ran fourth.

Rice said she ran in the stakes when the allowance didn’t fill. Fortuna Mia turns back to seven furlongs and will get Lasix for the first time.

“I think she may benefit from Lasix,” Rice said.

Rice said she’s not sure if she will run Army Gal in this spot. The filly won her first two starts before finishing fourth in the Maddie May Stakes on March 8. Rice ran Army Gal twice in a week and is not sure she wants to run her back in three weeks.

Eric Cancel is named to ride Fortuna Mia with Jose Lezcano on Army Gal.

Shadyside has not run since beating Delray last out. Despite the victory, trainer John Kimmel is adding blinkers to Shadyside’s equipment.

“Kendrick [Carmouche] said she was looking around a lot,” Kimmel said.

Moonlit Drive was a debut winner for Michelle Nevin on Jan. 10 before running three weeks later in the Ruthless, where she finished a well-beaten fourth.

Shadyside and Broadway Lights, claimed for $50,000 by Rudy Rodriguez last out, are both in for the $100,000 tag.

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