Silmaril's late kick nets upset

Silmaril, the oldest runner in a field of seven female sprinters, came from last to upset the Grade 3, $200,000 Endine Handicap at Delaware Park on Saturday.

A 6-year-old mare based in Maryland with trainer Chris Grove, Silmaril ($15.80) usually runs her best at seven furlongs or a mile, which put her at a disadvantage against her speedier rivals in the six-furlong Endine.

But thanks to swift fractions of 21.89 and 44.62 seconds set by Ticket to Seattle, the pace was fast enough to set up Silmaril's closing kick. Last until the stretch, she began picking up horses while closing down the outside of the track. She overtook Ticket to Seattle with 70 yards remaining, and drew clear by 1 1/2 lengths at the finish while covering six furlongs in 1:09.52.

Winning rider Jeremy Rose said Silmaril, who has now won 15 of 33 starts and $946,153, made him think back to riding Afleet Alex, the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner.

"I worked her here at Delaware," Rose said. "During the workout, she reminded me of old Alex in the way the she just sits back and then makes one quarter-mile quick kick and then runs them down. The fast early fractions helped her win at three-quarters today."

Ticket to Seattle, attempting to give trainer Steve Klesaris his second straight Endine victory, held on for second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Sugar Swirl. G City Gal, the Todd Pletcher-trained 2-1 favorite, was 1 3/4 lengths farther back in fourth.

* The New York-based filly I'm in Love ($8.40) rallied to earn her first career stakes victory in the $101,500 George Rosenberger Memorial.

Ridden by Eddie Castro for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, I'm in Love became eligible for the restricted Rosenberger when she ran second as the 1-2 favorite in a high-priced optional claimer locally a month ago.

In the Rosenberger, she finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of 20-1 longshot Debbie Sue following 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:41.67. Shytoe Lafeet finished third at 16-1.

Miracle Moment, the 2-1 favorite, tired badly and finished last of 10.

* Awfully Smart ($5.80), who outfought Better Than Bonds by a neck when they met a month earlier, put away his arch-rival again in the $100,300 Owners' Day Handicap.

A 4-year-old gelding trained by Alan Goldberg and ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Awfully Smart is now 7 for 8 lifetime at Delaware following his three-quarter-length win over Better Than Bonds. The winning time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:48.92.

Better Than Bonds had to settle for his fourth consecutive second-place finish, 4 3/4 lengths ahead of Easy Red.