Tequilita to Test Her Luck in Royal Delta Stakes

Dorothy Matz's homebred Tequilita will attempt to pick up her third grade 3 score while making her season debut in the $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes (G3) Feb. 16 at Gulfstream Park.

A 5-year-old daughter of Union Rags , Tequilita is one of seven older fillies and mares entered in Saturday's race and comes in off a dominating 2 1/2-length win in the Dec. 15 Rampart Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream at the Royal Delta's one-turn-mile distance. Her only victory of 2018 snapped an eight-race losing streak. 

"We were happy to get her in the winner's circle after such a long time," said trainer Michael Matz, who has been able to apply unique insight to the mare's training. More than a little familiar with her pedigree, Matz trained both Union Rags and the mare's dam, Sangrita, who won the Chilukki Stakes (G2) at 3. 

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"We always liked her," Matz said of Tequilita. "It's always been a lot of fun. My wife bred her, and I trained the father and the mother. You kind of see personalities from both sides. I just thought Union Rags could run at longer distances, and the way she trains that she would be able to handle the two turns. It looks like she just wants the one turn, and that's what she's sticking to from now on. She likes it down here in Florida."

Tequilita's previous graded stakes wins came in 2017, when she took the Charles Town Oaks (G3) and the Forward Gal Stakes (G2) as a 3-year-old. She finished off the board in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and placed third in the Longines Test Stakes (G1) between those starts. She will have the rail trip in the Royal Delta under jockey John Velazquez.

Joining her in the field as the co-highweight is Cleber Massey's Maryland-bred Blamed. The 4-year-old filly will be making her second start of 2019 after finishing fifth in the Jan. 26 Fasig-Tipton Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream. Blamed turned in a bullet four furlongs in :48 4/5 Feb. 8 at Payson Park Training Center, the fastest of 12 at the distance that day.

Trained by Bill Mott, the daughter of Blame  had an impressive sophomore season. She won four of five starts in 2018, including the Nov. 23 Comely Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack. She brings a record of 6-2-0 from nine starts into the Royal Delta and will break from the outside post 7 with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons. 

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One to watch will be St. George Stable's Jala Jala. Two-for-two at Gulfstream, Jala Jala won the 2017 edition of the Clásico del Caribe and returned last year to take the Copa Confraternidad del Caribe over males Dec. 8. 

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, the Mexican-bred daughter of Point Determined has a level of comfort with the South Florida track that could make her a contender. The Royal Delta will be the mare's graded stakes debut, although she has won or placed in six Mexican top-level stakes. She has a record of 13-4-4 from 23 starts and earnings of $319,448.