Favored Idiomatic should be on or near lead in Delaware Handicap
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Patience has paid off for trainer Brad Cox as it pertains to Idiomatic, the 7-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s 86th running of the Grade 2, $500,000 Delaware Handicap. The Del Cap, for fillies and mares, has been shortened slightly this year from 1 1/4 miles to 1 3/16 miles.
A 4-year-old filly by Curlin out of stakes winner Lockdown – a full sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Close Hatches – Idiomatic raced twice during the spring of 2022 before going to the sidelines for seven months.
“Her second start was a good race,” Cox said. “She didn’t come out of it quite as well as we hoped. She needed time. She got it. She’s been very, very good since.”
Upon her return, Cox carefully plotted a course that took Idiomatic through her allowance conditions at Turfway Park before dipping Idiomatic’s toe into stakes waters with a victory in the Latonia over the all-weather surface on March 25.
Since then, it’s been nothing but graded races for Idiomatic. She finished second in Belmont Park’s Ruffian on May 6, then earned a career-best 102 Beyer when wiring the field in the Shawnee at Churchill Downs on June 3.
“Back in the winter at Turfway, Garrett O’Rourke from Juddmonte and I talked about getting her to [this race],” Cox said. “She’s a big filly, huge stride, covers a tremendous amount of ground and is a phenomenal work horse.”
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Cox believes that jockey Florent Geroux will have Idiomatic close to the pace, if not outright on the lead.
Classy Edition captured the Grade 3 Royal Delta at Gulfstream Park over the winter for trainer Todd Pletcher and enters off a victory against New York-breds in Belmont’s Critical Eye.
A Classic Empire filly ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, Classy Edition has tactical speed and might attempt to sit just off Idiomatic. This will be her first start past 1 1/8 miles.
Trainer Butch Reid, who won last week’s Grade 3 Delaware Oaks with Foggy Night, sends out Morning Matcha.
A multiple stakes winner who finished second in last fall’s Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx, Morning Matcha missed by a nose in the May 27 Obeah, the local prep for the Delaware Handicap.
Grade 3 winner Battle Bling placed second in both the Obeah and Delaware Handicap last year. Unraced since running third in a quality edition of the Heavenly Prize at Aqueduct on Feb. 18, Battle Bling was freshened by design.
“Some of her efforts weren’t her best. We wanted to have her ready for a summer/fall campaign,” said trainer Rob Atras. “It was time to give her a break. I think it did her good.”
Royal Take Charge has won 3 of 4 for trainer Al Stall Jr. and now gets a class test stepping into the stakes ranks. An open-lengths winner of a second-level allowance at Churchill on May 27, Royal Take Charge breaks from the rail under Reylu Gutierrez.
“We were in the Fleur de Lis the other day, and decided to pass on that,” said Stall. “We like the 1 3/16 miles. She’s a tall, lanky filly who plods along all day long.”
Stall mentioned that he’ll try to get off the inside at some point “because it’s deeper down there,” and that he hopes “somebody hooks Idiomatic somewhat.”
Gamestonks completes the six-horse field.
Battery Park
Doppelganger gave trainer Brittany Russell her first Grade 1 victory when he rallied from off the pace to win the Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on April 8.
After finishing last of nine in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, Doppelganger looks to get back on track in the $150,000 Battery Park, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and upward.
Twice graded-placed around two turns in California last year when trained by Bob Baffert and Tim Yakteen, Doppelganger won his first three starts for Russell prior to the Met Mile.
Fearless has won graded stakes at distances ranging from a mile to 12 furlongs and should appreciate stretching out for trainer Todd Pletcher after returning from a lengthy layoff racing 6 1/2 furlongs against champion sprinter Elite Power in the Grade 2 True North.
Ridin With Biden has won three of his last four, including the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx last fall. Freshened after finishing last in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup, Ridin With Biden returned with a triumph in a high-level allowance at Parx on June 18.
Millionaire Forewarned, Whelan Springs, and Offaly Cool complete the field.
Trainer Brad Cox said that Warrant will “probably” scratch and run in Saturday’s Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows. Zabracadabra will scratch and run Friday at Laurel Park, per trainer Gary Capuano.
Dashing Beauty
Cheetara heads a competitive group of 10 fillies and mares in the $100,000 Dashing Beauty at six furlongs.
A multiple stakes winner, Cheetara displayed a strong kick when taking Pimlico’s Skipat on May 20. Trained by Nacho Correas, Cheetara projects to receive a strong pace to attack late.
Lightly raced and talented performers such as Ms. Bucchero, Alva Starr, and Late Frost deserve consideration as does veteran campaigner Malibu Beauty.
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