Saturday, New Jersey was all about the bargain. The Delta Tiger Sprint contained the namesake’s best “chance” in the field, and Chance For Delta made it pay off with a length-and-a-quarter victory in the $125,000 Delta Tiger Sprint, part of the day-long series of races that made up the inaugural running of the Bargain Bowl. Sea Orchid was second-best, and Roy Race set the pace but faded late while still holding on to third.
Roy Race got a good head start from the gate, and drew out into an easy lead of a length-and-a-half through the opening half of the race. Though he was stalked by Pleasure Parade(IRE) in the early going, the fractions were somewhat mild for a stakes sprint, and the early pace scenario began to crumble approaching the top of the stretch. Chance For Delta kicked into overdrive courtesy of an inside trip, and rallied through the stretch to ultimately prevail at the sixteenth pole, drawing clear under the line by a length-and-a-quarter. Sea Orchid survived some traffic issues on the turn and gained momentum on the winner late, but couldn’t make further inroads on the deficit before the wire came. Roy Race tired, but just had enough left in the tank to nose out Criminally Delta, the winner’s uncoupled barn-mate who unleashed a hardcore rally in deep stretch to no avail, for third.
Chance For Delta, who earlier in the year also captured the Bargain Oaks, earned $75,000 for the imatiger2 stables. The three-year-old daughter of last-crop sire American Chance (who will be ineligible to be used as a main sire at the end of the year) successfully negotiated the six furlongs in 1:10 2/5, picking up a speed figure of 93 for the effort. A capable filly, she has the potential to evolve into something kinda special at 4, and may possibly have an opportunity to defend her crown next year’s Bargain Bowl series.