The Delaware Mile – Delaware’s Crown Jewel

are few and far between. The top race for the dirt miler, the past few seasons, is the $2 million Delaware Mile, which in the past three runnings has drawn some of the fastest milers ever to grace the track. Western Groom won the first running by three lengths over Black Jack Shellac, sizzling his way to a 1:33 3/5 mile (126 SF). The following year, Eruption emerged the 2 ½ length victor, with Black Jack Shellac once again in the runner-up position and Western Groom a distant third, again with a final time of 1:33 3/5 for the mile (125 SF). Last year, it was a time for the changing of the guard, and so it was High Otto who won over a track rated good, with a time of 1:34 3/5, holding off Carson and Dane. Once again, a top field of 14 runners has gathered in the quest for glory and riches. As for who will win, only time will tell:

PP1: Danzig With Sal (4 yo colt, Danzig x Storm Cat x Mr. Prospector).
This keryn homebred is my horse, bred from a top quality mare in Newbie’s Dream. He sizzled off to a quick start in his career, and won the GSR Mile earlier this spring (111 SF). He’s been in a bit of a slump his last three races – the question is – is he over the top, or simply dislikes New York? To put it in perspective, throw out his New York races, and you have a record of 12-8-3-0 (trust me, he’ll never run at that track again). Over the Delaware course, he won the Duke Ali Handicap at this distance (114 SF). If he bounces back to the form he showed earlier this year, Sal will be dangerous indeed.

PP2: Macho Niner (3yo colt, Macho Uno x Pulpit x Forty Niner)
Sort of surprised to see the New Yorker winner here, rather than in the Topicount Cup, but louisville has made a number of right moves with this guy, so it’s hard to question his judgment. Last seen making the early pace in the Breeders’ Bowl Classic (tiring to third), the sophomore has had a fine season, with wins in the G1 Princess Cup and Travelers Stakes to go along with his classic victory. Gets leading rider Herbert Ross, but on the downside, earlier in his career, the colt didn’t show all that much at the shorter routes. Will be interesting to see if he goes for the pace early, or gets outgunned for the lead over the shorter stretch of ground.

PP3: Upper Management (3yo colt, Miswaki x Polish Numbers x Affirmed)
Top juvenile colt has had a rough sophomore slump, with only a pair of allowance wins in his last eight trips to the track. I’d be curious to see what he could do over a firm turf course – his debut over a yielding track wasn’t all that bad. What was bad, however, was his “distanced” performance in the BB Classic. Clearly is looking to make amends, and returns to a distance where he has had better success at. Looks poised to give a good account of himself here, but still, this is a tough group, and a win here would be a very welcome Christmas surprise to his connections.

PP4: Unprecedented (5yo horse, Hansel x Nureyev x Raise A Native)
I was one of the underbidders when this horse went through the ring, and jockeymax emerged the winner. Unprecedented has proven to be worth every penny of his $5+ million purchase price, finishing third in the G1 Delaware Handicap over this track, and winning the G1 Bob Woodward Memorial-G1, and most recently, the G1 Sterile Mile (defeating Danzig With Sal both times, and many of the runners in this race in the Sterile). He’s on a roll, his speed figures have been in the 110+ range, and looks to be the horse to beat at this race, at the remarkably generous price of 6/1.

PP5: Six Pulpit’s (3yo colt, Saratoga Six s Pulpit x Summing)
This guy lit it up in the early summer with back to back G2, the Captain Hook over 9 furlongs, and the Clerk of Scales Stakes with a 105 SF for the 9 ½ panels. Since then, it’s been downhill, with the sophomore struggling of late, although it seems to be more a function of tough fields than genuinely bad performances. This is a difficult spot to turn things around in, and his best distance appears to be 9 furlongs or more, so I’m not sure a cutback in distance is going to help all that much, but still, the network7 runner is a quality colt on his best day.

PP6: Ethan Hollandia, (4yo colt, Richter Scale x Robellina x Bold Commander)
Returns to the scene of his biggest success, a gate to wire victory in the G1 Delaware Handicap, where he beat Unprecedented. Unfortunately, their paths went in two different directions after the race, as Ethan would lose his next three starts, including a last place effort in the G1 Sterile Mile behind that rival. This guy is nothing but dangerous if he gets lose on an early lead, and has the motor to do so. But, if he can’t get his favored pace scenario, it’s going to be a long, tough run. Upset potential for thegallery at 9/1.

PP7: Swift Kick (3yo filly, Summer Squall x Crafty Prospector x Halo)
An already all-star cast picked up some extra lustre when sdmf2 entered his star filly against the boys (and older boys, to boot). She really has nothing to lose here, having pretty much made her case for champion 3yo filly with her dominant Breeders’ Bowl Distaff victory (118 SF). That race was huge, but she’s had seven weeks’ rest to recover from that effort. It’s been a while since she’s been at a flat mile, but had no trouble with 1 1/16 miles in the G1 Superfilly. Some question marks here, but exudes class and would be no surprise if she added to her remarkable season with a win here on Saturday. Her fans get a nice price of 5/1.

PP8: Fact of the Matter(IRE) (3yo colt, Giant’s Causeway x Fusaichi Pegasus x A.P. Indy)
This guy is making great strides on the comeback trail. Winner of the G1 Vermont is for Lovers earlier and G3 Derby Trial earlier this year, the colt was last in the Middle Jewel, and had sort of a bumpy ride the next several starts of his career. The turf to dirt angle appeared to do the trick, and since then he has won two of three, including the High Wind Handicap at a flat mile last time out (112 SF). That was a much easier field, and Fact returns on only two weeks’ rest, but a repeat of that effort makes the quickcall trainee a legitimate threat.

PP9: Taking Risks (3yo colt, Forty Niner x Storm Bird x Alydar)
This royally bred colt has shown talent from the start, but is still looking for that first G1 win. He came agonizingly close last time out, when he took the lead at the head of the stretch of the Sterile Mile, only to fall 1 3/4 lengths short to Unprecedented. Bliss hopes Risk can turn the table this time around. Prior to that effort a (110 SF), the colt won the G3 Hudson Hawk Stakes (111 SF). He’s also a graded winner at a mile, having won the G2 Trial By Night earlier this year (108 SF). Has to be respected.

PP10: Cader Ydris(IRE) (3yo colt, Giant’s Causeway x A.P. Indy x Sadler’s Wells)
Last year’s BB Juvenile winner and champion 2yo colt has had a rude awakening this year. After a disappointing run in the Derby, the oldgraymar star was beaten just near the wire in the Middle Jewel, and the loss seemed to take something out of him. But, in his latest effort, the colt finally looked like the horse we remember from last year, defeating his elders in the Spirit Tom Bonanza with a 108 SF. The return to a mile clearly agreed with him, and he’s got the chance to take another step in his quest to make it back to the top on Saturday, and offers a nice 14/1 to those with the confidence to back him.

PP11: Boomtown Boy (4yo colt, Sadler’s Wells x Gone West x Private Account)
Leestroyer’s handsome colt looked bound for the BB, having won the G2 Insulin Cap and G3 Mohammed Ali Stakes in fine fashion (109, 108). But, instead, the colt took an eight week break, either planned, or because he came out of the Insulin with a minor injury, I’m not sure, but he’s been a completely different animal in his last two races, finishing far back and offering not even a token challenge. That last race came a mere three weeks ago, so I’m not sure what magic has been worked in the interim. I do know this – this guy has always been best around 9 furlongs, so even if he can return to his best form, he might not make it to the wire in time. But still, a superb runner when he’s right.

PP12: Rock Cutter(IRE) (3yo colt, Giant’s Causeway x A.P. Indy x Forty Niner)
The third 3yo son of Giant’s Causeway in the race (and the second one out of an Indy mare), Rock Cutter is another who has started to struggle in the fall after a nice spring and summer. Liblelady3 had been patient with this colt, and he responded by working his way nicely through his conditions, hen earning a stakes win in the Scapped El. A third place finish in the Swamps followed, and then two starts later, a nice win in the G3 Northern Derby (9 furlongs, 113 SF). 10 furlongs hasn’t exactly been this guy’s cup of tea, so the cutback in distance should help. That said, Rocky’s been better at 9 panels than 8, so I’m not sure this is exactly what the doctor had in mind. Not an easy assignment.

PP13: Sensationalize (3yo colt, A.P. Indy x Sadler’s Wells x Buckpasser)
This guy has always been something of a wise guy horse. Dixiedotco’s colt was always listed as one to watch on the Derby trail after hitting the board in eyecatching fashion in the Fountain of Ute and Florida Derby (108 SF, 105 SF). Since that early promise, this guy’s career has stalled – he is still eligible for N4L and N4x – and his speed figures have yet to return to the levels he achieved in Florida. Returns to G1 competition after three races in allowance company. Hard to recommend on current form; although one day he may finally deliver on that early promise.

PP14: Red Hot Cat (4yo colt, Silver Deputy x Tabasco Cat x Devil’s Bag)
Yet another competitor from the Sterile Mile – this guy made a mild move in the stretch to grab third. The mirasol trainee has had a solid season, winning the G3 Saints Handicap and Perfectionistic Handicap this year. While his best races have come at slightly more than a mile, he has put together a series of nice races at this distance, including a second place finish, beaten a head, in the G2 Middle Ground Mile (108 SF). Don’t ignore this guy.