Power of Snunner warms up for Del Cap with Obeah triumph

The veteran Power of Snunner scored the biggest victory of her career Saturday at Delaware Park, edging Martini Glass by a neck to take the $100,000 Obeah Stakes.

The race is the local prep for the richest race of the meet, the Grade 1, $750,000 Delaware Handicap on July 15.

Power of Snunner, who races as a homebred for James Courtney, moved back to Tim Kreiser’s barn after making her last several starts for Joe Sharp. Kreiser saddled the 7-year-old Pennsylvania-bred to her lone prior stakes win in the restricted $75,000 Foxy J. S. Stakes in 2015 at Parx Racing. She has eight other stakes placings, and appears to be in solid form this year, finishing second in both the Grade 3 Bayakoa at Oaklawn Park and the Grade 3 Doubledogdare at Keeneland.

In the Obeah, Power of Snunner ($10) and Edwin Gonzalez disputed the moderate early fractions of 24.09 and 48.83 set by Enterprising Lady, with Martini Glass sitting an ideal stalking trip behind those two. Power of Snunner had assumed the lead with a half-mile remaining, and Martini Glass moved along her inside to challenge her into the lane. The two dueled to the wire, with Power of Snunner prevailing in 1:50.26 for the 1 1/8 miles.

It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Lady Fog Horn, who edged Curlish Figure by a neck for third. Favored Mo’ Green checked in fifth.

One race prior, favored Master Plan ($4.20) won the $50,000 Stanton Stakes for 3-year-olds on the turf. The Todd Pletcher trainee outgunned Adonis Creed by 1 1/4 lengths under Carol Cedeno, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.63.

Master Plan came into the Stanton off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont.

The colt won the OBS Championship on synthetic and finished third in the Group 2 U.A.E. Derby on dirt to Thunder Snow and Epicharis, and, last December, was minor stakes-placed behind Tapwrit.