Delhomme's First Runner Becomes a Winner

With only five foals in his first crop, New Mexico sire and grade 2-placed winner Delhomme needs winners and needs them early if he is to attract any attention from other 2017 freshman sires.

So far they're following the plan. 

Geaux Dangerous, the first starter by the 7-year-old son of Dixie Union, broke his maiden by half a length in his second start April 18 at Sunland Park against seven other challengers. The gelding raced by Dylan Williams won a 4 1/2-furlong maiden claiming event in :52.64.

Sarah Donaldson Rioux bred Geaux Dangerous in New Mexico out of the multiple stakes-placed winner Pleasant Gulch (Pleasant Tap). The mare, sold through the 2016 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Fall Mixed sale for $1,200 to Kathy Sweeney, has produced two other winners, and foaled a full sister to Geaux Dangerous this year.

Delhomme, out of the stakes winner Art Show (Out of Place), sold for $440,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale to trainer Todd Pletcher and showed some early promise for owners WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing. He finished third in the Remsen Stakes (G2) but then had his sophomore campaign derailed by injury. He later sold for $7,000 through the 2013 Keeneland November breeding stock sale as a stallion prospect to Ron Allen.

Of Delhomme's other named first-crop foals only his gelded son Del Argent had a published work this year. Bought by Jeff Caron at the 2016 Ruidoso August New Mexico-bred sale for $1,500, Del Argent worked three furlongs in :38.09 April 12 at the Frontera Training Center. The gelding out of Silver Stairs (Demidoff) was bred by Allen Farm, which bred three of Delhomme's first-crop foals.

Caron also owns the Delhomme filly Della Rocks, out of Rock Those Hips (Rocky Bar), who he bought for $2,000 at the Ruidoso sale. The filly was bred by Allen Farm and Kevin Eikelberry.

The remaining two horses in the first crop are the gelding Just James, out of Prospect Saras Ack (Prospect Bay) and bred by Allen Farm; and, Up On Top, a filly out of Closing Image (Closing Argument), who was bred by Floyd James Arthur. Neither Just James nor Up On Top have been offered through a sale.

Delhomme stands at Rioux's Born Running Ranch near Deming, N.M, for $1,500.