Dolphus, No Distortion meet in Delp Memorial

The Buddy Delp Memorial at Delaware Park on Wednesday has come up stronger than one would expect for a $50,000 race. Trainer Joe Sharp is sending in Dolphus from Saratoga for the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds, and Larry Jones is waiting to greet him with the stakes-winning No Distortion.

Dolphus is by Lookin At Lucky and out of the mare Lotta Kim, making him a half-brother to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, who is by Medaglia d’Oro. Dolphus won two of his first three starts for Sharp at Fair Grounds last fall and winter, then was given time off at Eisaman Equine in Ocala, Fla., as he worked through some bone remodeling.

Dolphus returned from a six-month break in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga on July 29. He raced forwardly to the quarter pole in the 1 1/8-mile race and then flattened out to finish fifth. The top three finishers in the Curlin – Connect, Gift Box, and Forever d’Oro – are expected to run in the Travers on Saturday.

“I knew he was going to be a little short running over the Saratoga main track, and the Curlin came up tough,” Sharp said. “Obviously, we were hoping for a little better placing, but his number moved forward. He got an 89 Beyer, which is his best yet.”

Sharp said he is confident Dolphus will move forward off the Curlin and that he selected the Delp Memorial as his next start because “we wanted a spot where we could give him a confidence boost.”

No Distortion won the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 9 for Jones. He had a difficult trip in the West Virginia Derby last out and tired to finish 10th and last.

Buddy Delp Memorial, Race 8

Key contenders
Dolphus, by Lookin At Lucky

Last 3 Beyers: 89-79-77

◗ Dolphus has worked twice at Saratoga since the Curlin, and Sharp was planning to gallop and school him at Delaware Park on Tuesday.

“He came out of the race fine physically and mentally great,” Sharp said. “I’m going to gallop him myself at Delaware and school him. He was scratched from the Lecomte when he got fractious at the gate. It’s good to let him see things first before you ask him to do them.”

No Distortion, by Distorted Humor
Last 3 Beyers: 48-88-95

◗ He broke a bit slowly in the West Virginia Derby, then was asked to alter course from the inside to the outside on the first turn. He steadily advanced to get within a length of the lead on the backstretch, then tired after six furlongs.

◗ Prior to his Long Branch victory, No Distortion won a first-level optional-claiming race at Delaware by more than 11 lengths.

Doctor Mounty, by Street Sense
Last 3 Beyers: 89-72-81

◗ Based with Shug McGaughey’s Fair Hill division, he enters off an easy first-level optional-claiming victory at Laurel Park. The 89 Beyer Speed Figure he earned makes him a contender here, but he did beat a suspect field. Afleet Willy, who was clearly second-best, has two career wins, in a $25,000 maiden claimer and a $25,000 starter race.