Delta Prince Seeks Top-Level Score in Woodbine Mile

By virtue of his bloodlines, Delta Prince has always been associated with exceptional quality.

He is a half brother to the late champion Royal Delta, winner of three consecutive Eclipse Awards and two editions of the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1). He is the final foal out of top-producing mare Delta Princess, a multiple graded stakes winner on the track who also counts grade 1 winner Crown Queen among her progeny.

Though his talent has necessitated some patience, Delta Prince has done his part to make his own name in a pedigree page full of stars. On Sept. 15, the son of Street Cry gets his latest chance to add another top-level achievement to his family's résumé when he faces an expected field of eight challengers in the $800,000 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T).

The Stronach Stables homebred already has enjoyed one of his best moments on the Woodbine turf, winning the June 30 King Edward Stakes (G2T) over the Woodbine Mile distance prior to finishing second in the Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course Aug. 11. Though 5 years old, Delta Prince will be making just his 10th career start Saturday. He didn't join trainer Jimmy Jerkens' barn until his 3-year-old season, making his first two starts on dirt in New York.

"The first time he ran real green," Jerkens said. "Then, in the mile race he ran well, but he was hitting his pasterns real bad. So I thought I'd try him on turf, and he wouldn't hit his pasterns. The first time he ran on turf, he ran off the screen. I've kept him on turf ever since."

Not worse than third in his nine starts, Delta Prince's ability has never been his main issue. Keeping himself right has been an albatross, however, as he went to the sidelines for nearly 10 months after running third in the Bernard Baruch Handicap (G2T) last September.

"He had some little nagging things that just got the better of him," Jerkens said. "We were keeping him going, but we didn't want to risk serious injury. He just needed lots of time."

Delta Prince made up for his time away in short order when he took the King Edward by 1 3/4 lengths in his first start off the layoff. Though he caught a rain-softened turf in Saratoga, Delta Prince showed enough in the Fourstardave to be installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Woodbine Mile.

"I thought he ran very well," Jerkens said of the Fourstardave. "The course was a lot softer than he likes and he broke real flat-footed or he wouldn't have been that far out of it. He had to make a big, long run, and that's hard on soft turf.

"Since he's come back, so far, he's the best he's ever been for a long time."

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott hopes a return to the turf gets Good Samaritan back on his game this weekend. As a 2-year-old, the son of Harlan's Holiday scored a victory in the Summer Stakes (G2T) over the Woodbine course, but he was switched to dirt midway through his sophomore campaign.

The move paid immediate dividends as Good Samaritan won the Jim Dandy Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2) in his first run over a main track. Since opening his 2018 season with a win in the New Orleans Handicap (G2) in March, the 4-year-old colt has lost his past three outings, most recently finishing fifth in the Whitney Stakes (G1).

"We were trying to win a grade 1 with him," Mott said. "We didn't get that done, but he won a couple of graded stakes and was second in the grade 1 Clark at Churchill last fall. Pretty much his last race, we made the choice to switch him back to the turf and see how we get along. The big, sweeping turn there—I think that'll suit him."

Multiple grade 1 winner Oscar Performance has won at distances from one mile in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) to 10 furlongs in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and Secretariat Stakes (G1T) for trainer Brian Lynch. The son of Kitten's Joy  gave his connections a scare last time out when he was pulled up by his regular rider Jose Ortiz Jr., who felt the colt had taken a bad step, and was vanned off as the favorite in the Arlington Million XXXVI Stakes (G1T) Aug. 11. 

Oscar Performance has received a clean bill of health following a veterinary examination and has three breezes under his belt with an eye toward this engagement.

Four-time Woodbine Mile-winning trainer Neil Drysdale will look to add to his record total in the race, this time pinning his hopes on filly La Sardane.

In the past 21 editions, only two female runners have won the Woodbine Mile: Tepin (2016) and Ventura (2009).

Owned by Team Valor International, La Sardane was riding a three-race win streak into the Play the King Stakes (G2T) but finished fifth behind local favorite Mr Havercamp after setting the pace in the seven-furlong event over a yielding turf.

"She couldn't handle the ground. It was too soft for her in the Play the King," Drysdale explained. "She's a strong filly, she has tactical speed, so on we go. We're trying against the boys one more time."

Entries: Ricoh Woodbine Mile S. (G1T)

Woodbine, Saturday, September 15, 2018, Race 8

• Grade IT
• 1m
• Turf
• $800,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:48 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Good Samaritan (KY)	Joel Rosario	123	William I. Mott	10/1
2	2La Sardane (FR)	Rafael Bejarano	118	Neil D. Drysdale	15/1
3	3Delta Prince (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	James A. Jerkens	5/2
4	4Vanish (ON)	Ademar Santos	119	Vito Armata	20/1
5	5Mr Havercamp (ON)	Eurico Rosa Da Silva	123	Catherine Day Phillips	6/1
6	6Lord Glitters (FR)	Jamie P. Spencer	121	David O'Meara	4/1
7	7Oscar Performance (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	123	Brian A. Lynch	7/2
8	8Divisidero (KY)	Jevian Toledo	123	Kelly Rubley	8/1
9	9Stormy Antarctic (GB)	Gerald Mosse	123	Ed Walker	8/1