Hard to argue with some obvious choices

Clear-cut favorites appear difficult to beat in four stakes restricted to Delaware-certified horses on Saturday's 11-race card at Delaware Park.

The four stakes, worth $75,000 apiece, are a pair of six-furlong sprints on the main track and a couple of five-furlong turf sprints for 2-year-olds.

In order to be eligible, a horse must have spent at least 90 days at a Delaware farm or training center before March 31 of his or her 2-year-old year.

The lock of the day looks like Hungarian Boatbaby in the Delaware Certified Distaff (race 3). She towers over her five rivals after finishing third over a sloppy track in the Grade 3 Endine Handicap and winning the $100,000 Regret at Monmouth Park in her two most recent starts.

Likewise, defending champion Secretintelligence appears formidable against five older colts and geldings in the Delaware Certified (race 9).

The 5-year-old Secretintelligence, who scored by two lengths at 1-5 in this race a year ago, has been first or second in 7 of 11 starts locally.

Cayman Condo, second last year, is back to try Secretintelligence again. The Scott Lake-trained Cayman Condo fills out the exacta a lot more often than he wins, with just 2 victories and 7 seconds in 21 starts over the past two seasons.

The likelihood that rain will move the two turf stakes to the main track only enhances the chances of the two obvious favorites.

Officer Ipod, second over a muddy track in the Grade 2 Sanford at Saratoga and second again after setting the pace on a fast track in the Grade 3 Sapling at Monmouth, seems unstoppable against seven other 2-year-old males in the First State Dash (race 6).

Sunday in Malibu's Beyer Speed Figure of 76 for her career debut victory over a wet-fast surface two weeks ago stamps her as a standout in the Small Wonder for fillies.

* Jockey Jeremy Rose resumed riding Monday after serving a three-month suspension for striking the filly Appeal to the City in the face and head on June 23.