Key Biscayne ($74.20) upsets Robert G. Dick Memorial

Key Biscayne pulled off a huge upset at Delaware Park on Saturday when she rallied over a rain-softened turf course to win the Grade 3, $200,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles.

The Robert G. Dick was one of four stakes Saturday, along with the Grade 2, $500,000 Delaware Handicap, the $100,000 Battery Park, and the $100,000 Dashing Beauty.

A homebred owned by Arindel Farm, Key Biscayne entered the Robert G. Dick following a gate-to-wire triumph in an off-turf allowance with a $62,500 claiming option on June 12. That race was contested over Gulfstream’s Tapeta surface.

Prior to Saturday, Key Biscayne had won only once from 17 prior outings on grass although she did place third in the $500,000 Saratoga Oaks in 2020. The turf victory, a first-level allowance with a $16,000 claiming option for Florida-breds at Gulfstream on May 23 of that year, also came on a course with give in the ground.

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

Piloted by Daniel Centeno for trainer Juan Alvarado, Key Biscayne settled nicely in midpack while saving ground around the first of three turns. Meanwhile, Gladys controlled the tempo, eventually completing six furlongs in 1:18.25 seconds.

Key Biscayne gradually advanced into the inside pocket position on the backstretch, and she eased off the rail to split horses turning into the stretch. Gladys was still in front with three-sixteenths remaining, but Key Biscayne was in full flight. She raced by Gladys and had enough to hold off late-kicking Sister Otoole to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths in 2:25.59.

Gladys was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third followed by Treasure Tails, Belle Belisa, Luck Money, Temple City Terror, Whimsical Muse and Stand Tall. La Lune scratched.

Favored Temple City Terror raced far off the pace for most of the way, attempted a wide bid entering the final bend, then quickly flattened out

Key Biscayne returned $74.20 as the eighth choice in the betting. According to DRF statistics, the Robert G. Dick Memorial was Alvarado’s first graded stakes victory.

Key Biscayne is a 5-year-old daughter of Arindel stallion Brethren. She has won 6 times from 24 starts for earnings of $435,758. Her other stakes victory came in the 2020 Monroe at Gulfstream, a one-mile event moved from turf to dirt. Earlier this year, she finished third in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf, a race contested over Tapeta.

*Battery Park

Tax showed no rust in his first start since the 2021 Pegasus World Cup as he took six rivals on a merry chase from start to finish in the Battery Park.

A 6-year-old gelding by Arch, Tax broke sharp from the rail post under jockey Kendrick Carmouche and made the lead while staying well off the inside. Tax clicked off the opening fraction in 24.28 seconds while prompted from the outside by Ridin With Biden.

Amatteroftime edged up in between horses to try Tax after a half-mile in 48.80, but that bid was short-lived. Ridin With Biden then re-engaged Tax with a three-wide bid following a six-furlong clocking in 1:12.80 and looked to have some momentum for the final quarter mile.

Tax, however, was too strong and classy.

The gelding streaked under the line two lengths in front of Ridin With Biden with Magic Michael another 1 1/4 lengths back in third. Tax completed the distance in 1:43.82 seconds over the sloppy track and returned $5.80 as the betting favorite.

Amatteroftime, Phat Man, Bobby G, and Gentleman Joe completed the order of finish. Tappin Cat and Confessor both scratched.

Claimed for $50,000 out of his second start, a maiden victory at Keeneland on Oct. 21, 2018, Tax has suffered his share of trials and tribulations for trainer Danny Gargan, who co-owns Tax with R A Hill Stable.

In his first start for Gargan, Tax ran third in the Grade 2 Remsen, then overcame a stumble at the start to win his 3-year-old debut, Aqueduct’s Grade 3 Withers.

Following a runner-up performance in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial, Tax placed 15th in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Belmont Stakes.

He rebounded to prevail in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga and completed his campaign with a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Discovery on Nov. 30.

Tax raced three times as a 4-year-old culminating with a front-running victory in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream on Dec. 12. He finished 10th, 14 lengths behind Knicks Go, in the Pegasus World Cup.

Tax was slated to compete in the Essex on March 13, 2021, but a freak accident forced his withdrawal when Tax went through a metal grate following a training session.

Gargan wasn’t pleased with Tax’s progress after he resumed exercising and turned him out.

Bred in Kentucky by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, Tax has won 5 times from 15 starts. The $60,000 winner’s share of the Battery Park purse pushed his lifetime earnings over one million dollars.

*Dashing Beauty

Benefiting from an aggressive ride by jockey Mychel Sanchez, Cinnabunny earned her third stakes win with a gate-to-wire victory in the Dashing Beauty.

Trained by Cathal Lynch for Runnymoore Racing, Cinnabunny, who utilized stalking tactics in her recent races, went right to the lead. She remained slightly off the rail through fractions of 22.38 and 45.36 and was pressured from the outside by Street Lute.

Cinnabunny put Street Lute away turning into the stretch, then fended off Cilla's protracted rally to score by a half-length in 1:10.66 seconds over the sloppy track. She returned $7.80 as the third choice in the betting.

Favored Cilla advanced in between horses to reach contention on the backstretch, dropped inside on the turn, eased outside the winner in the stretch, and tried hard for second despite failing to change leads.

She was 4 1/2 lengths ahead of We Miss Susie. Then came Gerri B, Street Lute, Juror Number Four, Stand Up Comic, and Alayla. Malibu Beauty scratched after she captured Wednesday's off-turf Peach Blossom Stakes at Delaware.

Bred in Pennsylvania by Shooting Star Stable, Cinnabunny is a 5-year-old mare by Golden Lad. She won Remington Park’s Flashy Lady for trainer Brad Cox, then was purchased by Runnymoore for $240,000 in November at Keeneland and transferred to Lynch.

Cinnabunny finished fourth in her seasonal debut, the Penn’s Landing at Parx on March 7. She rallied from tracking range to take the Unique Bella for Pennsylvania-breds there on April 25, then might have been compromised by a speed-friendly track when fourth in Pimlico’s Skipat on May 21.

In her final prep before the Dashing Beauty, Cinnabunny finished second, 2 1/4 lengths behind Fille d’Esprit in the Susquehanna Valley Stakes at Penn National on June 17. In that race, Cinnabunny earned a career-high 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

Cinnabunny has won 8 times from 17 starts for earnings of $364,920.