One of Delaware’s top sporting events is celebrating its return to prominence.
The field for Saturday’s 76th Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park was announced Wednesday. Six fillies and mares are slated to run in the 750 thousand dollar, Grade 1 race, including last year's winner and 2012 filly and mare champion, Royal Delta. This is the first year since 1989 that the Del’ Cap holds a Grade 1 status, the highest grade for races.
The Delaware Handicap has been running since 1937 when William duPont Jr. built Delaware Park. When Delaware Park closed it's doors in 1981, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) continued the race at Saratoga until Delaware Park reopened in 1985. While NYRA saved the Delaware Handicap, it didn't come out unscathed.
"After Saratoga, we lost are grade and had to start back up," said Delaware Park’s executive director of racing John Mooney. "So, it's really thrilling for us to be back at Grade 1."
Delaware Park’s race announcer John Curran has been calling the Delaware Handicap since 1985 when Delaware Park reopened. Curran believes that the $750,000 purse was one factor that helped the race achieve their grade one status.
"The top filly mare races generally go for $300 or $400,000. This is 750,000," said Curran. "Outside of the Breeders Cup, I don’t think there is a higher purse race in the country for fillies or mares throughout the year. That attracts some quality horses, and when you get solid quality fields year after year after year, then you get the upgraded status as being one of the better races in the country.”
Mooney says that Delaware has been renowned for the quality of its filly and mare races since the track's opening.
"Most people that follow racing are well aware that some of the best fillies and mares in the world have competed at Delaware," said Mooney. "We like to see that that’s maintained and that status stays.”
Mooney adds that while the field may seem small, low turnout is not uncommon when dealing with the quality of horses in this race draws. Curran thinks this will make for tight competition, noting that defending champion and race favorite Royal Delta has been beaten in her last two races.
"Todd Pletcher has won the race four times, he's got the horse Authenticity who I think is a major threat," said Curran. "I think Centring is a pretty nice horse and Summer Applause is a pretty nice horse so I expect this not to be a cake walk for Royal Delta. I think this is going to be a good, competitive race."
Post time for the first race on a full card of racing at Delaware Park on Delaware Handicap Saturday is at 1:15 pm.
