Sea Shadow connects at 15-1 in Winter Melody

Despite being the longest shot in the six-horse field at 15-1, Sea Shadow was clearly best in the stretch of the $50,000 Winter Melody Stakes at Delaware Park on Wednesday, drawing away to win by 4 3/4 lengths.

Sea Shadow, a 4-year-old Jump Start filly owned and trained by Ben Colebrook and ridden by Anthony Stephen, bided her time while racing in the second flight early in the 1 1/16-mile race. She went outside the leader, Tapit’s World, in upper stretch, and quickly drew off.

Sea Shadow paid $32.80 and was timed in 1:43.38. She added blinkers for the Winter Melody.

Runner-up Power of Snunner raced outside the winner on the far turn but could not keep pace in the stretch. She bested Tapit’s World for second by three-quarters of a length.

Tapit’s World was off a bit slowly, rushed up to press the pace four wide into the first turn, opened up a clear lead on 6-5 favorite Call Pat on the far turn, but flattened out in the stretch.

South Andros, four wide on the far turn, and wider into the stretch, finished fourth.

Call Pat raced on the early pace outside Pearl City, dueled for the lead with Tapit’s World on the far turn, and hen tired. Pearl City, on the early pace along the inside, was finished after five furlongs.

It took Sea Shadow, a Pennsylvania-bred, seven tries to win her maiden but she is now 5 for 13. She finished last of five in the Grade 3 Sixty Sails Handicap at Hawthorne in her start prior to the Winter Melody, but before that had won four of five.