Classy Edition Stalks and Pounces in Royal Delta
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Classy Edition wins the Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Classy Edition bided her time Feb. 18 in the $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, and patience paid off.
Robert and Lawana Low's 4-year-old daughter of Classic Empire , already a dual stakes winner and graded stakes-placed in only six starts, held off the late rally of multiple grade 2 winner Kathleen O. to clinch her first graded score for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.
Rated off a slow opening pace set by Jungle Juice in the 1 1/16-mile test for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, Classy Edition sat second through an opening quarter in :25.28 and a half in :50.15. Hitting the quarter pole in 1:13.93 under Irad Ortiz Jr., the eventual winner made her move past the leader and Tap Dance Fever , who was also challenging. Kathleen O. was urged on by Javier Castellano from the back of the pack and put in a strong outside run into contention at the top of the stretch.
With Kathleen O. hot on her heels, Classy Edition had more to give through a 1:41.85 mile, then polished off the victory by 1 3/4 length in a final time of 1:45.15 on a fast track.
Robert and Lawana Low lead Classy Edition into the winner's circle
Dual grade 2 winner Kathleen O., making her first start since a runner-up finish in the 2022 Comely Stakes (G3) had to settle again for second, while 6-year-old Don't Get Khozy , making her first start at the level, finished third.
The New York-bred Classy Edition ($4.20) improved her record to 5-1-0 from seven starts and increased her earnings to $466,250.
"I think (Classy Edition) appreciates the distance. She was travelling so good around both turns," Ortiz said. "I think she wants to go longer, this is the right distance for her. Going to the backside we went a little slow but I was close to the lead. I let her do her thing... She's grown a lot. Her mind is great, she's been breaking much better than last year. That's one thing that has helped her for sure to be better."
Bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Classy Edition was a $550,000 purchase by her current connections from Sequel Bloodstock's consignment to the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. She is out of the winning Bernardini mare Newbie, who has three winners from four foals to race, including stakes placed New Girl in Town and multiple stakes winner Newly Minted . The mare dropped a son of Vekoma in 2022 and was reported barren for 2023.