Delta Princess reloads

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - went more than a year without winning a race and trainer Bill Mott thinks he knows why.

When Mott ran Delta Princess in last year's Grade 1 Diana Handicap, she put in a gut-wrenching effort while setting the pace, only to finish eighth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths.

"That really beat her up," Mott said. "She's a hard-trying filly; she just wasn't good enough. I think we hurt her confidence."

Delta Princess seemed to regain her confidence and her stakes-winning form last month at Belmont Park, winning a classified allowance race by 4 1/4 lengths and earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 106.

That race and the eight weeks of rest in between should make Delta Princess tough to handle in Monday's wide-open renewal of the Grade 3, $200,000 Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup Handicap at Saratoga. Eleven fillies and mares were entered for the 1 1/16-mile turf race, but only 10 will be permitted to run. Bounding Charm and Misty Sixes were entered to run if the race is moved to the main track.

While Delta Princess went 363 days without winning, she was competitive in several stakes events. She has a strong closing kick and owns a win over this course in an allowance race two summers ago when coming off a 10-month layoff. Heberto Castillo, who is 2 for 2 on Delta Princess has the call from post 6.

Personal Legend was all out to win a division of the De La Rose over this course on Aug. 11. Trainer Bobby Frankel is hoping for a stronger pace and he should get it with Sand Springs and Mrs. M in the field. Jerry Bailey rides.

Ocean Drive and Film Maker are the ones to beat. Ocean Drive cuts back to 1 1/16 miles, a distance at which she won a pair of Grade 3 events this year. She should get an ideal stalking under John Velazquez.

Film Maker, the 120-pound highweight, comes off a win in the Grade 3 All Along Breeders' Cup Handicap. She suffered from a mild bout of colic earlier this month, but trainer Graham Motion said she is over that. Ramon Dominguez replaces Edgar Prado.

Prado will ride for trainer Christophe Clement. Derrianne has won two of four starts since coming to this country. She injured a splint bone in the spring and returns off a layoff for a trainer who excels in such situations.

High Court, Mona Rose, Halory Leigh and Mariakel complete the field.