Del Park closing weekend Stakes Races
10/24/2009

articles by Stephanie J Corum

Delaware Park Arabian Classic H. (G1)

Thoroughbred obviously likes the Delaware Park Arabian Classic H. (G1). He won it last year on his way to Horse of the Year honors. And while he hadn’t won a stakes this year, he must’ve known it was his time because he drew off to win his second consecutive Classic on October 24.

Nine horses went postward in the 1 ¼ mile event on a dark, wet day. At the start, Aim South got a clear lead followed by favorite So Big Is Better. The entry of Thoroughbred and Cromwell trailed the field. The top two ran quick opening fractions, which was too much for Aim South. So Big Is Better came up on the outside before the final turn and took the lead while Sey Spottsproof closed ground on the inside. And then flying from the back of the pack was the entry. They were running together, side by side and stride for stride. But it was soon evident that Thoroughbred had more staying power than Cromwell and he got to the lead. So Big Is Better tried valiantly to hang in there after sprinting early but couldn’t quite hold on. Sey Spottsproof also did not have enough to go with the leaders but stayed in contention for third. Thoroughbred and jockey Irwin Rosendo opened up to win by 6 ½ lengths with a final time of 2:19.67. Cromwell was easily second over Anne Seymour’s Sey Spottsproof. They were followed by So Big Is Better, Johnny B Goode, Stoicc, Frysk Me Now, AF Smarty Pants and Aim South.

Ron Martino trains both Thoroughbred and Cromwell for owner Guy Neivens. Thoroughbred’s share of the $75,000 purse brought his lifetime earnings to over $300,000. The 7-year-old has 11 wins in 34 starts over 5 years. He is no doubt the best horse T C Tomtyr, a Hall of Fame member, ever produced. His dam is the multiple stakes-winner Vanessa Du Loup (by Manganate).

Buzz Brauninger Distaff S. (G1)

When 3-year-old sensation Sand Witchh scratched out of the Buzz Brauninger Distaff S. (G1) in favor of the Juvenile Fillies Championship race the following day, it left a highly competitive field of 10 for the 1 1/8 mile race. All the horses broke well over the very sloppy racecourse, but it was Dixie Dance that sprinted to the lead over Burnie Gee PW and Scoot. The horses followed single file with Rolly Polly bringing up the rear. Dixie Dance showed the way into the far turn, but then had nothing left. Leah Killingsworth’s Burnie Gee PW took over the lead while Rolly Polly made up ground fast from the back of the pack. Burnie Gee PW stayed tough in front, but Rolly Polly, Celeztina and Scoot (on the far outside) all tried to close on her. Eventually it was Rolly Polly that got to Burnie Gee PW, and it looked that she would go right by, but Burnie Gee PW fought back gamely. They battled nose to nose to the wire, and at the end it was a determined Rolly Polly that surged forward to win by a neck under Irwin Rosendo. Burnie Gee PW had to settle for second. Celeztina and Scoot had their own tight race for third, and it was Celeztina who maintained the advantage. Abra Caadabra, AF Sassey Dreams, Stars The Limit, Whos Your Daddy, Areethmatik and Dixie Dance completed the field.

This was Rolly Polly’s first stakes win for owner Ken and Nancy Blewett and trainer Loren Nichols since the 2008 version of the Buzz Brauninger Distaff S. Now 6 years old, she has run sparingly this year making only 4 starts with 2 wins. Overall, she has 10 wins (8 stakes) from 20 starts with lifetime earnings over $216,000. Rolly Polly was bred in Florida by Trackside Farm and is a daughter of Falina Des Fabries, who is the sire of standout 3-year-old Quite A Show. Her dam is SS Nellie Bly, a multiple stakes winner of over $66,000. She is the dam of Johnny B Goode (also by Falina Des Fabries) who ran fifth in the following Delaware Park Arabian Classic H. (G1).

Delaware Park Arabian Juvenile Championship S.

Cre Run Enterprises’ Full Of Fiesta and A Ladys Man were heavily favored to win the $25,000 Delaware Park Arabian Juvenile Championship and they certainly didn’t disappoint. They were easily the best two in the one mile race.

A Ladys Man actually reared in the gate prior to the start, but he still got off well. It was Grilla that went to the lead, but he raced very wide. Grilla actually bore out so badly into the backstretch that he was pulled up. When that happened, A Ladys Man inherited the lead and looked very comfortable in front. Full Of Fiesta tried to close on him, but A Ladys Man held him off under brisk handling from rider William Hollick. He finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Full Of Fiesta in a time of 1:49.57. Meanwhile, 17 lengths behind there was a three-way photo for third with Opening Act getting a neck in front of Royales Dare who had a head over Ayers. Justonetimemore and Grilla finished the field. A Ladys Man was trained to victory by Lynn Ashby and Full Of Fiesta was conditioned by Greg Ketter.

The top three finishers were all bred by Alan Kirshner and Deborah Mihaloff of Cre Run Enterprises. A Ladys Man is now a perfect 3 for 3 this year and has earned over $25,000. He is by the Shadwell stallion Nivour De Cardonne, who also stands at Cre Run Farm. He has sired a number of excellent juveniles including champions Our Machine and Dixies Valentine. A Ladys Man is the latest runner for PTF Lady Wiking (by Wiking), producer of six winners from seven starters including multiple stakes winner Determind (by MHF Eclipse) and stakes-placed winner Whatz Up (by K A Czubuthan).

Delaware Park Arabian Juvenile Fillies Championship S.

The final race of Delaware Park’s 2009 season ended with the likely coronation of Darley Horse of the Year. The sensational, undefeated Sand Witchh galloped to victory under rider William Hollick in the Delaware Park Arabian Juvenile Fillies Championship S.

At the beginning of the one mile race, Ovour The Moon, Uncorked and Sand Witchh all came out early. When they sorted themselves out, it was Uncorked who went to the lead while Sand Witchh raced on the rail in second and Ovour The Moon held third. Sand Witchh, who was running easily, moved to the outside of Uncorked going into the turn. She passed the leader effortlessly and simply galloped home to win by over 14 lengths. Uncorked, owned by Bill Waldron, was easily second best over Burning Silk, In Awe Dit, Summer N Smoke, Is O Dora and Ovour The Moon. The final time was 1:48.27, almost a second faster than the boys ran in the previous race.

Trained by Randy Nunley for owner Guy Neivens, Sand Witchh is now a perfect five for five with $63,360 in earnings. Bred by Dianne Waldron, the big chestnut filly is by leading sire Burning Sand out of the multiple stakes winner Tornade Du Loup (by Tornado De Syrah). Waldron also has a 2-year-old, yearling and weanling full siblings to Sand Witchh so we have plenty more to look forward to in the coming years.