Midnight Stroll notched her first graded stakes win July 2 in the $295,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park, holding off 5-2 favorite Shotgun Hottie by a head.
Out of the gate effortlessly, the 3-year-old filly settled into the middle of the seven-horse field and stalked early leaders Chardonnay and Unadulterated in fifth. Making her move at the three-quarter mark, she soared to the front before Shotgun Hottie made her move. Storming from the outside to challenge the leader, Shotgun Hottie cut into the winner's margin, but could not reach the finish line in time.
The runner-up finished four lengths ahead of Morning Matcha in third.
After racing off the pace behind fractions of :23.10, :46.69, 1:11.13, Midnight Stroll completed the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:44.31 under Eric Cancel on a fast dirt track.
"I felt very confident about her chances today because I worked her last time and she worked very well," Cancel said. "Her best two races had been on the lead and today there was a little bit more speed, but I am glad I was able to breeze her because I got to know her a little better and I had a great trip with her."
MIDNIGHT STROLL is your winner of the G3 Delaware Oaks! Congrats to all connections! Race 7, The Kent Stakes is up next! Watch @DelParkRacing at https://t.co/nBYFHj6ufh pic.twitter.com/7dvHcKJer6
— TVG (@TVG) July 2, 2022
Trained by John Terranova, Midnight Stroll paid $7.20 on a $2 win ticket and increased her earnings to $263,225.
The Delaware Oaks was the filly's sixth start and third win. She earned her first win in February in a maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs and followed that victory with a win in the March 27 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes at the Florida track.
Last out, the daughter of Not This Time finished ninth in the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) at Pimlico Race Course.
Owned by Gatsas Stables, R. A. Hill Stable, and Steven Schoenfeld, Midnight Stroll fell short of her reserve during her first trip to the sales grounds at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Company Winter Mixed Sale. She later sold at the company's October Sale, purchased by agent Tonja Terranova for $225,000 from the Abbie Road Farm consignment.
Bred in Florida by Dr. Carolin Von Rosenberg, Midnight Stroll is out of the Midnight Lute mare Midnight Magic , who has two winners from two starters. The dam has a 2-year-old Practical Joke filly named Atthecrossroads who was a $230,000 purchase by Breeze Easy from the Baccari Bloodstock consignment at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Select Yearling Sale, and a yearling Practical Joke colt. She also has a 2022 Mitole colt.
Main Event Takes Center Stage in Kent
Giving Cancel his second straight stakes victory Saturday at Delaware was Main Event , who showcased mastery over the turf to win the $200,250 Kent Stakes (G3T).
Main Event connections after winning the Grade III Kent Stakes at @DelParkRacing today. It was jockey Eric Cancel second graded victory on day as he won the Grade III Delaware Oaks the race before. pic.twitter.com/gGgkQqVss5
— Delaware Park (@DelParkRacing) July 2, 2022
Main Event went directly to the front of the seven-horse pack striding out to get ahead of Xy Time and Uncle Irish . Setting the pace as he went, the 3-year-old colt denied pressure from his rivals and maintained the lead. Heading into the stretch, he ran to the rail and opened up which would fend off a late bid from runner-up Elizar .
"I had a dream trip. I wanted to be forwardly placed with this horse because his best races have been on the lead or really close. I knew there was a lot of speed in the race, but I knew my horse was very game so I took it to them early," Cancel said.
"If they were going to beat me, they would have had to beat me running. Once I started making the turn at the three-eighths, I felt I still had plenty of horse so I let him go to get him more comfortable. By the quarter-pole, he kind of stayed steady like he was waiting for horses so I just tried to give him a very confident ride to the end."
With fractions of :23.65, 47.12, 1:11.05, and 1:36.23, Main Event crossed the wire in 1:48.74 over a firm turf course going 1 1/8 miles for owner Harrel Ventures.
Elizar was second and Tommy Bee came in third.
Main Event paid $10.60 to win and increased his earnings to $246,333.
Trained by George Weaver, the colt found early success at Gulfstream Park this season, breaking his maiden in January and running second in his next start in the March 5 Palm Beach Stakes. The colt won his next outing in the April 2 Cutler Bay Stakes. Moving into graded stakes company, the colt's last start ended in a ninth-place finish in the May 7 American Turf Stakes Presented by BMW (G2T) at Churchill Downs.
The son of Bernardini was a $50,000 yearling who went to Cromwell Bloodstock from the Threave Main Stud consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He was sold again at the 2021 Ocala Breeders' Sale Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training for $130,000 to agent Steven Young from the Ocala Stud consignment.
Out of the Unbridled's Song mare Total Knockout , Main Event was bred in Kentucky by Godolphin and Eric and Elizabeth Buckley. The colt's dam has five winners from five foals to start. Her last reported foal is a 2-year-old Mor Spirit colt.