Morning Matcha an Eye-Opening Presence in Obeah Stakes

LC Racing, Cash is King and Gary Barber's Morning Matcha  tops a field of six entered in the $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park May 27. The 1 1/16-mile contest is the local prep for the July 8 Delaware Handicap (G2).

In her only outing this season, Morning Matcha won the seven-furlong Pennsylvania-bred restricted $100,000 Unique Bella Stakes by two lengths at Parx Racing April 24. 

"The main objective was to give her a race to start her season, so kind of anything we made going seven-eighths would have been a bonus," said her trainer Robert "Butch" Reid, Jr.  "For her to jump up and win, was a real pleasant surprise."

Last year, the daughter of Central Banker   compiled a record of two wins, two seconds, and three thirds, including a victory in the Main Line Stakes at Parx, a pair of seconds in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx and the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, and a pair of thirds in the Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park and the Comely Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred has earned $713,390 from 18 starts.

"We are looking for a big race on Saturday," said Reid.

Paco Lopez rides.  

Stakes winners Hybrid Eclipse  and Award Wanted  are other accomplished entrants in Saturday's field. Dangerous following a class drop is Traverse , sixth in the Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) last month at Keeneland.