Sharp Delphinia makes easy work of Cincinnati Trophy

Three-year-old fillies from Florida proved vastly superior to their Kentucky-based counterparts Saturday evening in the $50,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway Park, with Gulfstream raiders Delphinia and Sister Nation finishing first and second, far ahead of the rest of the field.

Victorious Delphinia was particularly sharp, transferring the speed that led to a maiden victory going five furlongs on the Gulfstream grass Dec. 17, chasing favorite and pacesetter Promises Broken early and dispatching her leaving the turn. Then, once cut loose by jockey Julio Garcia, she extended her lead to the wire, rolling home 7 lengths in front of Sister Nation.

The winner, a gray 3-year-old daughter of The Factor owned by Stonestreet Farm and Fog City Stakes and trained by Wesley Ward, raced 6 1/2 furlongs on Turfway’s synthetic Polytrack surface in 1:17.52. She paid $6.80.

Fellow Gulfstream shipper Sister Nation, a maiden coming off a fourth-place finish in the Old Hat Stakes on Jan. 7, came under an early drive while void of speed, but still rallied past all the foes in front of her except the winner, checking in 3 1/2 lengths in front of third-place On Probation.

Performing poorly as the even-money favorite was Promises Broken, who, after flashing early speed, weakened to sixth, beaten 16 lengths.