Delta Prince Soars in King Edward Return
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Delta Prince wins the King Edward Stakes at Woodbine
The hopes are high, the goal a lofty one. But after Stronach Stables' homebred Delta Prince came off the bench and won the $175,000 King Edward Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine in impressive fashion, his connections can't help entertaining thoughts of unlimited potential.
"I think he's a Breeders' Cup horse," Andy Stronach said after the half brother to the late three-time champion Royal Delta made his first start in nearly 10 months and won at the grade 2 level for the first time. "He's a stallion prospect, obviously."
Wise Dan ran a mile in 1:31.75 in the 2013 Ricoh Woodbine Mile (G1T). On a day when Southern Ontario was under an extreme heat warning, with temperatures at the track in the 90s, Delta Prince ran for the first time since September and got the mile in 1:32.35, .60 seconds off the track record.
"I like the way he did it today," said Javier Castellano, who was in the irons on Delta Prince for the first time. "It was very impressive."
The Stronachs bought Delta Prince's dam, the A.P. Indy mare Delta Princess, in 2011 for $2.6 million from Chanteclair Farm's dispersal of Prince Saud bin Khaled's Palides Investments after his death that year. Delta Princess was euthanized in 2014 at the age of 15 because of a degenerative stifle condition. Delta Prince is her final foal.
The 5-year-old Street Cry horse conditioned by Jimmy Jerkens made his first start of 2018 after firing a June 24 bullet in 1:00.10 for five furlongs on the dirt training track at Belmont Park and was favored at 2-1 in a field of eight 3-year-olds and up. His previous start was a third behind Heart to Heart and Forge in the Sept. 4 Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course, his first start in grade 2 company. His prior wins all came at a mile—in an Aug. 5 optional-claiming allowance on the Saratoga lawn, a Feb. 18 allowance at Gulfstream Park, and a December 2016 maiden special weight. Delta Prince was unraced as a 2-year-old and made only three starts in his 3-year-old season. With the King Edward win, he improved his record to 4-2-2 from eight starts, with earnings of $263,626.
"They've always taken their time with this horse," Stronach said. "No one was in any rush to do anything ... he was broken late, he was a big horse. It's nice to have a horse like this, because the stallion isn't around anymore and the mare isn't around either, unfortunately, but this makes up for a lot. We paid a lot of money for the mare, and I really think his potential is unlimited."
Delta Prince rated fourth under Castellano in the King Edward as Shakhimat set opening fractions of :23.77 and :46.58. The eventual winner moved into striking position as three-quarters went in 1:09.11 and had a length to make up on the frontrunner. Delta Prince powered past Shakhimat in the stretch and drew off by 1 3/4 lengths. Shakhimat held for second, a neck ahead of Conquest Panthera.
"He has a huge stride, and this is a mile-and-a-half turf course," Stronach said. "Plus, a one-turn race is good to get a horse ready for things. He has lots of speed, but the bigger money is when you can stretch them out, right? In the Breeders' Cup, you could go long (in the 1 1/2-mile Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, G1T) or a mile (in the Breeders' Cup Mile, G1T)."
Also on the Saturday card, Santa Monica won the $175,000 Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up. The Chad Brown trainee came flying on the far outside under jockey Jose Ortiz in the 1 1/4-mile turf test and ran down Inflexibility, who had taken the lead after Starship Jubilee showed the way through a :25.77 opening quarter. After a half in :49.03, three-quarters in 1:12.46, and a mile in 1:35.95, Santa Monica was still last in the field of nine. But when Ortiz set her down for the drive, she responded with a tremendous kick and dove to the front for a half-length win. Inflexibility held for second, and 2017 Queen's Plate winner Holy Helena was third.
It was the first North American stakes score for Santa Monica, who came to the United States this year after making 22 starts in Europe for Susan Magnier and partners and trainer Charles O'Brien. Magnier, Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, and Deron Pearson now own the 5-year-old daughter of Mastercraftsman who improved her record to 4-2-2 from 25 starts, with earnings of $247,914.