Delta Flower, City by the Bay face older rivals in Harvest Stakes

Three 3-year-old fillies, two of them multiple stakes winners, will challenge older runners in Saturday’s six-furlong, $50,000-added Harvest Stakes at the Big Fresno Fair.

Delta Flower, a winner of stakes at Oaklawn Park and Santa Anita, and City by the Bay, a winner of stakes at Fairplex last year and Emerald Downs this year, will make their debuts against older runners.

Unforgettable U won her debut Sept. 13 at Los Alamitos while running against older rivals, and she has the highest last-race Beyer Speed Figure in the field.

This is the time of year when talented 3-year-olds can make their mark against older runners. Despite their talent, the trio could find the challenge of meeting seven older runners daunting.

Among their opponents are the multiple stakes-winning Unusual Way, who has earned $712,165, and Rathmoon, who defeated the previously undefeated stakes-winning Look Quickly in that rival’s debut against older fillies and mares.

KEY CONTENDERS

Delta Flower (Last 3 Beyers: 53-81-85)

◗ She gave way readily late as the 8-5 favorite in her comeback Sept. 6, but she ran big in her second career start after a so-so debut this year.

Unforgettable U (Last Beyer: 86)

◗ She won her debut against older rivals as the odds-on favorite with a professional effort. She sat behind brisk fractions, moved up four wide, and held well, inching away late in the lane. Both siblings are winners, one a stakes winner, and she has two solid works since her last race. She has talent, but this is a big step up.

City by the Bay (Last 3 Beyers: 49-74-75)

◗ Though based at Golden Gate Fields, where she has been working up a storm, she has made all four career starts on dirt. She won both starts as a 2-year-old, then won her 3-year-old debut at Emerald Downs before running seventh as the favorite in a Pleasanton stakes.

◗ Her works can’t be overlooked for barn that enjoys big success off similar layoffs.

Unusual Way (Last 3 Beyers: 61-79-71)

◗ She’s the real deal but may be better routing than sprinting. She has been a six-figure earner in each of the three years she’s raced, including this year, when she’s gone winless but has three seconds in five starts. She, too, has a strong work tab at Pleasanton in preparation for her comeback. She has three wins and four seconds in eight starts on dirt.

Rathmoon (Last 3 Beyers: 74-70-77)

◗ The Queen of Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields makes her first start on dirt. She has won four straight sprints but fared poorly in her lone stakes try last year on turf. This stalker has proven gritty in the lane.