Delacour Continues Summer Hot Streak with Sunday Maiden Sweep
Delacour Continues Summer Hot Streak with Sunday Maiden Sweep
Goiaba, Greek Mythology Impressive Debut Winners for Fair Hill Trainer
Buddly Buddy Wins Photo in FEGENTRI Amateur Race
LAUREL, MD – Arnaud Delacour’s torrid summer hot streak continued Sunday when the Fair Hill-based trainer swept a pair of $40,000 maiden special weight events that highlighted the 10-race program at Laurel Park.
Goiaba and Greek Mythology, 3-year-old fillies owned by Bonne Chance Farm, were impressive debut winners to give Delacour eight victories from 16 starts at the current summer meet. His 50 percent success rate is unmatched among leading trainers, and his horses are running in the money at a 75 percent clip with three seconds and a third.
“Everything is related to the quality of the horses we have in the stall,” Delacour said. “We are lucky enough to have some great owners with nice horses like that.”
Goiaba ($3.20), a chestnut daughter of champion sprinter Speightstown purchased for $300,000 out of Keeneland’s September 2015 yearling sale, was heavily favored at 3-5 over her five rivals in Sunday’s opener, a six-furlong sprint on the main track.
Under jockey Feargal Lynch, she tracked in fifth as Resolana took the group through a quarter-mile in 22.93 seconds and a half in 46.79. Lynch steered Goiaba to the far outside on the turn to launch their bid and they quickly ranged u on the leaders and cruised past to win by 6 ½ lengths in 1:12.10 over a good track.
“It looked like she was coming with a run. She was a little bit green. With the kickback she was climbing a little bit but actually it’s a good thing because she learned something today. I was delighted with how it set up for her,” Delacour said. “I was not quite sure about the track because it looks like it could be a tiring track but she handled it fine. She did good. She’s a classy filly.”
Goiaba had been training steadily over the dirt and all-weather tracks at Fair Hill for her debut, posting her three most recent works at Delaware Park. Delacour was unsure where she may run next.
“Last year she was coming along nicely and she got hurt. It was nothing major, just 2-year-old baby issues and she’s come back great. She’s been very impressive in the morning so I’ve liked her,” he said. “We’ll probably look for an allowance. She’s still a little bit green and needs to learn a little bit more. We’re not in a hurry. The client is very nice and doesn’t put pressure on me so we can let her learn her job and give her another one and take it from there.”
Ramona Bass’ 4-year-old homebred Fuerza went off as the 6-5 favorite in Sunday’s sixth race but it was Greek Mythology ($11.60) that stole her thunder, stalking the pace of her Delacour-trained stablemate Saratoga Belle before splitting horses approaching the eighth pole and drawing off to win by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:49.71 over a yielding Dahlia Turf Course with Daniel Centeno up.
A Kentucky-bred daughter of leading sire Medaglia d’Oro, Greek Mythology has been the regular training partner of Goiaba going back to the late spring.
“I knew she was very fit because she’s had plenty of good breezes, so I didn’t worry about fitness,” Delacour said. “I thought it was going to be hard to beat [Fuerza]. She did a good job and Danny rode a great race. He had a good trip on the inside and saved all the ground, waited and came with a good kick at the end. It was good.”
Buddly Buddy Wins Photo in FEGENTRI Amateur Race
Katrina Becker’s Buddly Buddy raced in mid-pack before circling the field on the far turn and closing between horses down the stretch to emerge from a four-way photo with a head victory in Sunday’s third race.
Ridden by Elliot Ohgren for trainer Fenneka Bentley, Buddly Buddy ($14.40) ran one mile over a Dahlia Turf Course rated good in 1:42.69. Justifiable Junior was second at 22-1, a head in front of Be Back. Awesome Adrian, off at 42-1, was another nose back in fourth.
The $22,000 maiden claiming event was the second of two FEGENTRI International Federation of Gentlemen & Lady Riders races during the meet. Sunday’s Flat Calendar Men’s race followed a Flat Calendar Ladies race last month.
Note: Jockey J.D. Acosta enjoyed a two-win day Sunday with Big Bella Brown ($8.80) in the fourth race and Blondie Girl ($24) in the eighth.
