Lemon Drop Mom wins holiday stakes

Lemon Drop Mom and jockey Jose Caraballo shot through an opening on the rail and drew off to a 2 3/4-length victory in Wednesday's $56,260 Ghost and Goblins Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Delaware Park.

A daughter of Lemon Drop Kid trained by Tim Ritchey, Lemon Drop Mom ($3.60) was the 4-5 favorite in a field reduced to four following four scratches.

All four fillies were abreast of each other at the three-eighths pole, then Lemon Drop Mom took command with about a quarter-mile remaining and was much the best in the stretch run despite drifting out in the final furlong.

It was her fifth win in 12 lifetime starts and her third win in her last four races. The winning time for a mile and 70 yards on a fast track was 1:42.13.

Buy the Barrel, whose three-race winning streak was snapped, finished second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of Grand in Grey, also trained by Ritchey.

Ticket to Seattle, the 8-5 second choice exiting three consecutive graded sprint stakes, pressed the early pace, briefly took the lead turning for home, and faded to last.