Mullins looks to strike again

Southern California-based trainer Jeff Mullins came all the way across the country for one race last year, and Summer Wind Dancer made the long trip worthwhile when she won the Delaware Handicap. Mullins is now going to see if he can pull off a similar feat, this time with the 3-year-old filly Brooke's Halo.

A wire-to-wire winner of the Hollywood Oaks in her most recent start, Brooke's Halo is one of three graded stakes winners in a field of eight entered Monday for Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park.

Round Pond, a two-time graded stakes winner for trainer John Servis, and the Bobby Frankel-trained Sis City, whose five career victories include three graded stakes, are the other top-shelf fillies lined up for the 1 1/16-mile Oaks.

The field also includes Dance Away Capote, a three-time stakes winner; Pleasant Chimes, third in a pair of Grade 2 races this spring; and R Lady Joy, second in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan.

Bayou Breeze, winner of a minor stakes at Monmouth last time out, and Lisaized, a close fourth in her only previous dirt try around two turns in the Maryland Juvenile Championship, complete the field.

Brooke's Halo relished the extra distance when she was stretched out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time, defeating seven rivals in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks a month ago. She drew post 4.

Round Pond (post 8) has won her last four starts, highlighted by the Grade 2 Fantasy at Oaklawn and the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont. Servis and owner Rick Porter teamed up to win the 2001 Delaware Oaks with Zonk.

Sis City (post 6) dominated her competition in the Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream and the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland before finishing fourth as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.