Rosalind faces Motion duo in Dick Memorial

The Delaware Park racing office has put together an interesting undercard to support the $300,000 Delaware Oaks, the second-richest stakes of its season. The richest race, the $750,000 Delaware Handicap, will be run next Saturday, July 18.

In addition to the Oaks, the 10 Thoroughbred races include the Grade 3, $200,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial Handicap, a 1 3/8-mile turf marathon for fillies and mares; the $50,000 Dashing Beauty, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares; and the $50,000 Cape Henlopen, 1 1/2-mile turf race for males. The 11th-race finale is the $30,000 Arabian Distaff.

The Dick Memorial immediately precedes the Oaks. Rosalind is the horse to beat in the 11-horse field, but Kitten’s Point and Lady of Gold, both trained by Graham Motion, also figure strongly.

Rosalind is trained by Chad Brown and owned by Michael Dubb and partners, including Bethlehem Stables. Last year, Dubb, Bethlehem, and partners won the Delaware Handicap with Belle Gallantey.

Rosalind won the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay at Belmont Park two starts back at the same distance as the Dick Memorial.

Kitten’s Point will be making her first start since winning the Grade 3 Bewitch at Keeneland by a half-length April 24. Kitten’s Point came home well in the Bewitch after sitting off a slow early pace. She really wasn’t as far back early as her past performances suggest, as Lots o’ Lex set a galloping pace on an uncontested lead ranging between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 lengths. Edgar Prado keeps the mount.

Lady of Gold made four stakes starts in California over the winter. She tuned up for this race by finishing a closing third in the second division of the Justakiss Stakes at Delaware on June 10. She was just starting to get rolling at the end of the race.

Galiana in Dashing Beauty

Galiana should come back running after being freshened since the $75,000 My Juliet Stakes at Parx on May 23.

Prior to the My Juliet, Galiana had impressively won the Skipat and Primonetta stakes at Pimlico. Owner and trainer Rodolfo Romero ran Galiana on eight days’ rest in the My Juliet, and although she finished second, the quick turnaround may have dulled her effort a bit. The My Juliet was won by front-running 18-1 shot Donita’s Ruler. Galiana rallied from last.

Galiana, a winner of 13 of 26 starts and $534,000, showed her readiness for the Dashing Beauty by working a bullet half-mile in 46.80 seconds at Delaware on June 23. That work was 1.20 seconds faster than the quickest time of the 26 other workers at the distance that day.

She’s Ordained also came back on eight days’ rest in the My Juliet after finishing third to Galiana and Lady Sabelia in the Skipat. She should improve on her fourth-place run in the My Juliet.

Keep Crossing was bred and is owned by Brereton Jones and is trained by Larry Jones, who will start the favored Lovely Maria in the Delaware Oaks. Keep Crossing is coming off a career-best effort June 20 in the Red Cross Stakes at Monmouth Park, where she rallied from off the pace to win by three lengths.

Al Khali in Cape Henlopen

Last year, the winner of the Cape Henlopen, Hardest Core, went on to win the Arlington Million in his next start. This year, the millionaire Al Khali will use the Cape Henlopen as the second start of his comeback after having been away from the races for 22 months.

Al Khali, 9, went to the sidelines following a fifth-place finish in the 2013 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. He returned to the races June 20, finishing fifth of six in a money optional claimer at Belmont Park.

Al Khali will stretch out from 1 1/16 miles to a more suitable 1 1/2 miles here for trainer Bill Mott. Al Khali, the winner of the Grade 2 Bowling Green in 2010 and the Grade 3 Saranac in 2009, is 8 for 39 in his career.