Delaware Park Year End Championships by Stephanie Corum
11/18/2008

Delaware Park Classic H. (G1)
It may be a first for Arabian racing that full brothers run one-two in a grade 1 stakes. That was the case in the Delaware Park Classic H. (G1) when Thoroughbred and his younger brother Cromwell, both owned by Guy Neivens and trained by Ron Martino, crossed the line in the top two spots.

With no single standout in the older male division at Delware Park this year, eleven horses took their shot at the $100,000 in the 1 ¼ mile race. . So Big Is Better and Aim South stayed on top while MD Blue Chip moved into third. He advanced menacingly into the stretch and gained the lead briefly while Thoroughbred and Cromwell both were making steady progress on the outside.  Eric Valles kept Thoroughbred’s drive alive and he began to pull away. Cromwell was no match for the winner, but did surge past MD Blue Chip to gain second. So Big Is Better finally weakened a bit but still finished fourth and was followed by Sey Spottsproof, Ordination, Johnny B Goode, Throttle Up, Aim South, Caitlyns Hot and Doctor D. The final time was 2:20.31. It was a great day for Ron Martino who trained the top 3 finishers.

Now six, Thoroughbred was bred by Shaikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed. He and Cromwell are both by the great Samtyr son TC Tomtyr, a multiple Darley winner and member of racing’s Hall of Fame. These two are his best runners to date. Their dam is multiple stakes winner Vanessa Du Loup (by Manganate). Thoroughbred’s lifetime earnings now top $240,000, and his record this year stands at 7(3-0-3)2-1. In 2008 he also won the Mandolynn Hill Farm Delaware Park H. and was third in the Wes and Betty Wright Turf H.

Delaware Park Juvenile Championship S.
The $40,000 Delaware Park Juvenile looked to establish the leading 3-year-old colt, but even at this time of year, 3-year-olds are still green and rapidly improving. This one-mile contest ended up an interesting one. The field broke well and it was Pocahontas Dream that settled in the front followed by Tiki Barber and Qjuick Sand PW. The field stayed fairly bunched up for the first half-mile. Qjuick Sand PW got through along the rail to challenge for, and gain the lead. It was then that Pocahontas Dream swerved out into Tiki Barber who consequently bumped into Status Symboll. Travelen Soldier was also trying to make a move but went very wide on the turn and never switched leads. Coming down the stretch, Qjuick Sand PW also drifted out, but Theoretically wasn’t able to take advantage. Robert Paz and Qjuick Sand PW finished in the middle of the track 2 ¼ lengths in front of Theoretically who was easily second over Travelen Soldier. His time was 1:52.56. Pocahontas Dream, Tiki Tack Toe MKP, Tiki Barber and Status Symboll completed the field. There was a stewards’ inquiry conducted into the race but no change was made in the order of finish.

Qjuick Sand PW was bred by Pam Weidel who also originally owned the colt. He was claimed by Mark Powell for $10,000 in a maiden claiming race which he won. Since then he has run for trainer Mario Serey. This was the first stakes win for the son of leading sire Burning Sand (who also sired Weidel’s other stakes winner Burnie Gee PW). He is the first foal to race from Doya Juana Dance, an unraced daughter of Juan De Shawn. Qjuick Sand PW’s race record for the year stands at 9(3-1-2)1-0, $39,412.

Buzz Brauninger Distaff S. (G1)
Bill Waldron decided to skip the juvenile race with his talented 3-year-old filly Dixies Valentine and instead take on the big girls in the $65,000 Buzz Brauninger Distaff H. (G1). The 1 1/8 mile race featured an outstanding and competitive group of 12 runners even on a rainy day and over a sloppy, but sealed racetrack.

She’s A Dandy went to the front denying Dixies Valentine the lead. They were followed by MD Sugar And Spice, Whos Your Daddy and Stars The Limit. Shes A Dandy opened up 2 ½ lengths on the field, but it was soon evident that she would not be able to carry her speed a distance. Dixies Valentine took over in the second turn with MD Sugar and Spice second and Abra Caadabra in third. Two-time Darley Champion Rolly Polly, who had been lingering near the back of the pack, was advancing steadily into fifth place. Coming into the stretch, Dixies Valentine drew clear by 3 ½ length and appeared to be headed towards another victory, but the always tough and determined Rolly Polly kept coming on the outside. In deep stretch Dixies Valentine still had an edge and William Hollick was asking everything from Rolly Polly to catch the leader. She finally collared her rival and won by 1 length in an exciting stretch drive. Her time for the 1 1/8 miles was 2:08.26. Dixies Valentine, who did tire slightly at the very end, held on for second only ¾ length in front of Abra Caadabra. Stars The Limit, AF Sassey Dreams, Whos Your Daddy, Kittilina, Jessys Princess, AF Gelda, Cleopatrah, MD Sugar And Spice and Shes A Dandy completed the field.

This was only the fourth start this year for Ken and Nancy Blewett’s Rolly Polly and her first win. She now has almost $174,000 in earnings. She was bred by her trainer, Loren Nichols of Trackside Farm in Florida. By Falina Des Fabries out of SS Nellie Bly, by *Negor, Rolly Polly is a full sister to the Blewett’s Johnny B Goode who was third in this year’s Bob Magness Derby (G2).

Delaware Park Juvenile Fillies Championship S.
Without Dixies Valentine in the field, the heavy favorite for the Delaware Park Juvenile Fillies Championship S. was Pam Weidel’s Burnie Gee PW who had won 3 of 4 starts. The field of 8 raced the one-mile over a sloppy, sealed track. Burnie Gee PW, trained by Bill Waldron, broke sharply to set the pace. After a quarter mile, she already had 3 lengths on Later Ala Gatour and A Second Wind. She maintained that advantage into the stretch, but then she began to lug out. Later Ala Gatour chased her in second with Burning Perfume MKP taking over the third spot. Areethmatik made a middle move to close ground from the back of the pack. She continued to pass other rivals, but was no match for the winner. Despite racing in the middle of the track, Maria Charles kept Burnie Gee PW to task and was able to draw off to win by 5 ¼ lengths in a time of 1:53.32. Areethmatik was easily second best, 7 ¼ lengths better than third-place finisher Later Ala Gatour. The top three were followed by Ashton Rose, Burning Perfume MKP, Qweenofhearts, A Second Wind and AF Si La Veve.

Pam Weidel also bred Burnie Gee PW as well as the other juvenile winner, Qjuick Sand PW and they have similar pedigrees. Both are the latest stakes winners for Burning Sand. Burnie Gee PW is out of Bygosh Bygolly, a By Golly daughter and Juan De Shawn granddaughter. Qjuick Sand PW is out of a Juan De Shawn daughter. Bygosh Bygolly, a full-sister to Darley Champion Oh By Gosh, has been a really good producer for Weidel. She is also the dam of Djolly Good (by Djendel), a graded-stakes winner of over $85,000 and Toute De Suite (by Ala Croixnoire), a stakes winner of over $62,000. Burnie Gee PW’s race record currently stands at 1/5(4-1-0)1-0, $47,180.