Delaware Handicap

This story is the first in a series celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Delaware Handicap. After the famous stretch-long duel between rivals Blind Luck and Havre de Grace in last year's Delaware Handicap, expectations for the 2012 filly and mare summer classic, slated for July 21, have never been higher. The dramatic victory proved to be the final and greatest in the brilliant career of Blind Luck. The gallant defeat did nothing but improve Havre de Grace's stature as one of the best in training and proved to be a pivotal stepping stone in a campaign that culminated with Horse of the Year honors for the locally owned and trained filly.

Only one of the 10 fillies and mares entered in today's $159,050 Delaware Handicap has ever as much as tried to win at 1 1/4 miles. None has been successful. And while Delaware Park's main event has been dominated in recent years by Maryland-based runners, there is not one entrant from that state this year. As a result, many horseplayers probably will find this race to be a handicapping puzzle - three entrants shipped from Belmont, one entrant each from Illinois, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New Hampshire, and the remaining pair stabled at the Stanton, Del., track.

Unbridled Belle, the 2007 winner of the Delaware Handicap, was established yesterday as the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Sunday's 72d edition of the $1 million, Grade II highlight of Delaware Park's racing season. The winner of the Delaware Handicap gets an automatic invite into the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita. Unbridled Belle, a 6-year-old owned by Team Valor and trained by Todd Pletcher, finished third in last year's Delaware Handicap. She was back at Delaware Park this year and won the Grade III Obeah Stakes on June 20 by 11 lengths.

Royal Delta held on for a gutsy victory over long shot Tiz Miz Sue in the Grade II Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park on Saturday. Besilu Stable's Royal Delta, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic last year, earned her spot in the same race this year, since the filly and mare race is a "win and you're in" Breeders' Cup Challenge race. The Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic will be run at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 2. With Mike Smith aboard, Royal Delta earned a neck victory and returned $3.00 as the favorite in the field of seven.

Delaware Park, the region's oldest race track, opens on Saturday for its golden-anniversary season. The track, built by the late William H. du Pont Jr., is known for its parklike setting. It will operate four days a week, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a 1:30 p.m. first post time. It also will be open three Mondays, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day, the closing card. The 1987 season will again feature the $100,000 Delaware Handicap, the region's only Grade I race on the main track.

Summer Colony suggested yesterday that she may be the best filly in the nation when she overcame an eventful trip to capture the 65th running of the $600,000 Delaware Handicap. "I feel like she's the best," said an elated Mark Hennig, the winning trainer. "It was tough. She was really boxed in, and Jerry [Bailey aboard Two Item Limit] knew she was the horse to beat. I think John finally got mad and forced his way out. " Hennig was referring to winning rider John Velazquez, who has been sizzling in New York and was the leading jockey at the just-concluded Belmont Park meeting.

Bobby Frankel continued what is likely to become the most successful year ever for a trainer when he saddled Wild Spirit for an impressive six-length victory in yesterday's $750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap. "She's a beautiful filly, possibly as good as any in the country," Frankel said after saddling his 34th graded stakes winner of the season, which includes 13 Grade I victories. Wild Spirit, ridden by Jerry Bailey, sat just off the pacesetting Take Charge Lady and Mandy's Gold in the early going, then moved between that pair to challenge for the lead on the backstretch, with Bailey restraining her from taking the lead too soon.

Swift Temple got an uncontested lead, and Alan Garcia rode the fourth betting choice in a six-horse field to a 2 1/4-length victory yesterday in the $1 million Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park. Owned by Mark Stanley of Lexington, Ky., and trained by Dale Romans out of Churchill Downs, the filly finished the 1 1/4-mile course in 2 minutes, 3.41 seconds, paying $17 to win. Icon Project was second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of favorite Unbridled Belle, the 2007 Delaware Handicap winner.

The Colorado Rapids' home opener Saturday against the Union was postponed until Sunday because of a blizzard. Originally, the Rapids had said the game would be played no matter the weather, but the snowstorm intensified and the game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., was pushed back a day by Major League Soccer. Travel was advised only in case of an emergency in Adams County, where 14 inches of snow and 40-m.p.h. winds were expected. Elsewhere: Forward Robert Earnshaw scored two goals to lead Toronto FC to a 2-1 win in its home opener against Sporting Kansas City at the Rogers Centre, and snap a 15-game MLS winless streak going back to last season.

Royal Delta tops the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park on Saturday. The mile-and-a-quarter $750,000 summer classic for older fillies and mares has attracted a field of seven. The winner automatically qualifies for the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 2. In her most recent outing, Royal Delta posted an eight-length triumph in the 11/8-mile $150,000 Grade II Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 16. The 4-year-old daughter of Empire Maker finished ninth in the Grade I Emirates Air Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 31 and third in the Grade 3 Sabin at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 25. Mike Smith was aboard her for the first time in the Fleur de Lis. "She is more talented than I already knew she was, to be honest with you," Smith said.

THE 2012 SEASON has quite a long way to the finish line, but Delaware Park fans could see one of America's best horses Saturday. The question is: Which one? Is it Royal Delta, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic and coming off a career-best performance, or Awesome Maria, dominant winner of six straight races until she lost her most recent start? Five other fillies and mares were entered in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap, but it will be a major shock if one of two heavyweights does not win it. They will go the classic American distance of a mile and a quarter, and this has every chance to be a classic.

This story is the first in a series celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Delaware Handicap. After the famous stretch-long duel between rivals Blind Luck and Havre de Grace in last year's Delaware Handicap, expectations for the 2012 filly and mare summer classic, slated for July 21, have never been higher. The dramatic victory proved to be the final and greatest in the brilliant career of Blind Luck. The gallant defeat did nothing but improve Havre de Grace's stature as one of the best in training and proved to be a pivotal stepping stone in a campaign that culminated with Horse of the Year honors for the locally owned and trained filly.

Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty heads the field for Saturday's $750,000 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing, as trainer Bob Baffert makes a rare appearance in Philadelphia. Plum Pretty will face It's Tricky, who beat her in the Grade I Alabama stakes at Saratoga. Ann's Smart Dancer, owned by former Inquirer handicapper Craig Donnelly, will run in the $100,000 Pennsylvania Breeders Distaff at 11/16 miles.   Belmont Park. A cavalcade of stars featuring 3-year-olds Stay Thirsty (Jockey Club Gold Cup)

The California invader Blind Luck, last year's 3-year-old filly champion, arrived at Delaware Park at approximately 4 p.m. Wednesday for her engagement in the $750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap. The Kentucky-bred conditioned by Jerry Hollendorfer is slated to square off against the leading filly and mare in the country this year, Havre de Grace, and the defending Delaware Handicap champion, Life At Ten, in the mile-and-a-quarter filly and mare summer classic this Saturday. In her final workout for the Delaware Handicap at her home base of Hollywood Park, the 4-year-old daughter Pollard's Vision went four furlongs handily in :48.20 yesterday.

Havre de Grace, the leading filly and mare in the nation, and Blind Luck, the 2010 3-year-old filly champion, are slated to square off Saturday at Delaware Park in the $750,000 Delaware Handicap. Havre de Grace is owned by Richard Porter's Fox Hill Farm and trained by Larry Jones. California's Blind Luck is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer. They headline the 74th renewal of the $750,000, Grade II Delaware Handicap. The mile-and-a-quarter race for fillies and mares has attracted a field of five.

HBO offers an important sports documentary debuting Wednesday in The Curious Case of Curt Flood. If you know your sports history, you remember that Flood was the man who started baseball on a path toward the free-agency era. The 31-year-old sued Major League Baseball rather than report to the Phillies after he was traded from St. Louis following the 1969 season. Flood didn't win his court case, but few question that his actions were crucial in raising awareness about the fairness of the system, which tied players to teams for life.