Swift Delivery quick enough to take Ontario Derby for fledgling owner Kelce

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Swift Delivery makes his second start with football star Travis Kelce a part owner in Saturday’s Grade 3 Ontario Derby at Woodbine. Kelce’s superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, will be in Toronto next month to perform six concerts, and Swift Delivery will be well backed in the 1 1/8-mile Tapeta route, due in part to the publicity he’s garnered from his famous connections.

Trained by Mark Casse, Swift Delivery graduated by 16 1/2 lengths with a big 90 Beyer Speed Figure on the Tapeta here June 23. He doubled up in a July 29 allowance on the inner turf, after which Team Valor International CEO Barry Irwin got Kelce to buy a 10 percent stake in the gelding, who is co-owned by movie mogul Gary Barber.

“One of my top clients is Bruce Zoldan, and his son happens to be a close friend of Travis Kelce,” Irwin said. “Bruce won the Kentucky Derby with me with Animal Kingdom. They love racing. They wanted to get Travis Kelce involved in a derby horse. We tried to buy one earlier this year. We were unsuccessful. Then, when this horse came along, I figured he might interest Travis Kelce and Bruce because of the name and [because] the horse could run, and Gary Barber owns half. It all came together.”

Swift Delivery was favored in the Aug. 31 Toronto Cup, which attracted more media requests than this year’s King’s Plate due to Kelce’s involvement. Swift Delivery rallied outside to finish second behind Piper’s Factor in the one-turn mile on the main turf. Third-place finisher Dresden Row subsequently won the Grade 3 Durham Cup.

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With Patrick Husbands riding, the Ontario Derby will be Swift Delivery’s first start beyond 1 1/16 miles.

“I think a mile and an eighth is better for him,” Irwin predicted. “I think he might be a mile-and-a-quarter horse. Dresden Row is going to be tough to beat, but hopefully we can beat him again.”

Trained by Lorne Richards, Dresden Row has won four of seven starts for True North Stable and Bloom Racing Stable. After acting up in the paddock before the 1 1/16-mile Durham Cup, he came from third to beat older rivals with a career-high 92 Beyer.

Richards said an equipment problem led to the colt’s naughty pre-race behavior.

“He reared up in the paddock and pulled the bridle over his head,” Richards said. “He didn’t have a bridle on for a few minutes. There was a little bit of panic there. I was just coming off surgery and I couldn’t throw it on – I’m the tallest guy, and there were a lot of five-footers in there trying to get it back over his ears.”

Rounding out the field for the $135,000 event are Breeders’ Stakes winner Roscar, Bail Us Out, Two Ghosts, and the supplements Babbo and Miss Roberts.

Babbo, who has struggled this year after landing the 2023 Coronation Futurity, should be loose on the lead in his first race without Lasix.

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