Miss Marissa in Control Throughout Delaware Handicap
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Photo: Chad B. Harmon
Miss Marissa wins the Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park
Cammarota Racing's Miss Marissa finished second in her first two starts of the season, but found her stride July 10 at Delaware Park as she captured the $400,000 Delaware Handicap (G2) at Delaware Park.
The Del 'Cap marked the second graded victory for the 4-year-old He's Had Enough filly, who last year topped a three-race win streak with the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course.
Returning from a five-month layoff last out for trainer James Ryerson, Miss Marissa made her Delaware debut in the June 9 Obeah Stakes, a local prep for the Del 'Cap in which she led in the stretch but was passed by returning rival Dream Marie .
On Saturday though, Miss Marissa led at every point of call in the 1 1/4-mile event for fillies and mares.
"She cruises at a relatively high speed and she does have the ability to relax, which is what she needed to do today," said Ryerson. "That is the reason why we came. We figured she had won a couple of races at mile and an eighth and not many had done that. Who has a better chance of winning a mile and quarter race than a horse that has won a couple going a mile and an eighth?"
Ryerson is now eyeing the Aug. 28 Personal Ensign Stakes Presented by Lia Infiniti (G1), which offers the winner a berth in the Nov. 6 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar.
"We will probably run her in the big race at Saratoga. We have stalls there and she has run well there," he added.
Miss Marissa won an allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga Race Course last summer.
"It will be a monster race, but now that we have won this race, we need to try it against the bigger fish on our home track," Ryerson said.
No one rushed out to take control of the pace in the Del 'Cap. Jockey Daniel Centeno was able to guide Miss Marissa through relaxed, easy fractions of :25.15, :50.10, and 1:14.62 for the first six furlongs, at which point she led by two lengths over Gibberish .
Miss Marissa made a wide turn for home as Gibberish continued to chase in second. A spot opened up at the rail for Queen Nekia , who rallied from last of six, but Miss Marissa held her ground and crossed the finish line 1 1/4 lengths in front. The final time on the fast track was 2:04.50.
"I talked to Jimmy (Ryerson) before the race and the plan is like we always do which is to try and break well and stay close to the lead," said Centeno. "I knew there was not much speed today, but she broke really, really sharp today. After we went to the lead, she started galloping right away. She did it herself, she fired and she just put them away."
Gibberish held on for second by a half-length over Queen Nekia. Dream Marie, 1-2 favorite Bonny South , and Saracosa completed the order of finish. The winner paid $11.40 for a $2 win ticket.
Miss Marissa was bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds out of the Arch mare Ardara, a daughter of Canada's two-time champion grass mare Inish Glora. Ardara has also produced multiple stakes-placed The X , by Soldat ; Markup , a 3-year-old filly by Mark Valeski who last month won at first asking at Lone Star Park; Spiritcatcher, an unraced 2-year-old filly by Cupid ; a yearling filly by Collected ; and a filly by Mitole born in April.
Antonio Sano purchased Miss Marissa for $11,000 out of Woodford Thoroughbreds' consignment to the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearlings Sale. The gray or roan filly has since collected a 5-4-1 record from 16 starts and has earned $604,690.