Hometown filly, Havre de Grace, named Horse of the Year

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Hometown filly, Havre de Grace, named Horse of the Year

Stanton, Del., January 17, 2012 — A filly from the Mid-Atlantic region, who was stabled in barn 22 at Delaware Park much of this past year, achieved something that Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex, Barbaro, Hard Spun and Animal Kingdom could not.  Havre de Grace, locally-owned by Richard Porter’s Fox Hill Farm, won 2011 Horse of the Year honors and became the first locally connected horse to win the award since the legendary Spectacular Bid won the honor in 1980.  The announcement was made late last night at the 41st annual Eclipse Awards in Beverly Hills, California.

Havre de Grace, who was also named the older filly and mare champion of 2011, was stabled at Delaware Park from April through late September.  The Kentucky-bred trained by J. Larry Jones won the Grade III Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park before suffering her first lost of the year when she ran second, beaten by a nostril, against her arch-rival Blind Luck in what many have dubbed “The Race of the Year” in the $750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap.  Undeterred, the daughter of Saint Liam followed with a victory in the Woodward, against the boys at Saratoga, a win in the Beldame at Belmont and a fourth-place outing, versus males, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“Havre de Grace is an amazing filly. She had a fantastic year and she deserves the award,” said Michael Vild, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel at Delaware Park.  “I congratulate Rick Porter, Larry Jones and the rest of team Havre de Grace in achieving this honor.  Her victory in the Obeah Stakes was spectacular and the Delaware Handicap was one of the most memorable in the history of the race.”

The Delaware Certified filly finished the year with a record of five wins and a second from seven starts with earnings totaling $1,623,000.  Her career record is eight wins, four seconds and two thirds from 15 starts, with earnings of $2,496,175.

“Her performance in the Delaware Handicap will be one I will never forget,” said John Mooney, Executive Director of Racing at Delaware Park.  “Havre de Grace and Blind Luck were the two best horses in racing and they showed why in the Delaware Handicap.  I applaud her connections for her campaign and Horse of the Year honors.  Obviously, all of racing is very much looking forward to seeing her this year.”

Havre de Grace is currently stabled at the Fair Grounds, where she will likely make her 2012 debut in either the $100,000 New Orleans Ladies on March 17 or the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap versus males on April 1.

Delaware Park News & Notes Meet concludes after historic moments

Wilmington, Del., November 5, 2011 — The 74th live racing season at Delaware Park concluded with mixed results on Saturday.  The racing season was highlighted by one of the most memorable races in the history of the track, while the all sources handle (live on-track and live simulcasting-out) decreased.

In the 74th renewal of the Grade II Delaware Handicap, California invader Blind Luck defeated her arch-rival and locally-based Havre de Grace by a nostril in what many have dubbed the “The Race of the Year.”  Undeterred, Havre de Grace, who was stabled at Delaware Park, followed with a victory in the Woodward, against the boys at Saratoga, a win in the Beldame at Belmont and a fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs.  If the 4-year-old daughter of Saint Liam owned by Wilmington, Delaware native Rick Porter and conditioned by Delaware Park regular J. Larry Jones is voted the Horse of the Year, she would become the first locally-based horse to achieve the honor since Spectacular Bid won the award in 1980.

The Delaware Handicap Day card handle reflected an increase of 8.3% over last year.

“Not only do I think the Delaware Handicap was the ‘Race of the Year,’ but it may have been the most exciting Delaware Handicap I have seen in the nearly four decades I have been involved with Delaware racing,” said Mooney.  “Havre de Grace and Blind Luck were the two best horses in racing and they showed why in the race.  I applaud the connections of both horses for making that memorable moment possible for all racing fans.”

Other memorable on-track moments include Union Rags and Grace Hall breaking their maidens at Delaware Park.

In his career debut, Union Rags, owned by Chester County native Phyllis Wyeth and conditioned by Michael Matz, broke his maiden going five furlongs at Delaware Park on July 12.  The Kentucky-bred son of Dixie Union followed by winning the Grade II Saratoga Special, the Grade I Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park and by running second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

In her career debut, Grace Hall, locally owned by Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables and The Elkstone Group and conditioned by Delaware Park regular Anthony Dutrow, broke her maiden going six furlongs at Delaware Park on July 30.  The Kentucky-bred daughter of Empire Maker followed by winning the Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, the $75,000 Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware Park, and by running second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs.

Jockey Joseph Rocco Jr. enjoyed a milestone meet.  Rocco won his first ever riding title by recording 94 wins.  The race for leading trainer was captured by Juan Vasquez for the second straight season by posting 61 wins.  Midwest Thoroughbreds won the leading owner title for the second consecutive season by notching 47 wins. 

For the first time since 2008, the average all sources handle per day was down.  The 101-day 2011 live racing season ended with an average all sources handle per day of $1,483,786.  The 113-day 2010 live racing season ended with an average all sources handle per day of $1,602,401, reflecting a decrease of 7.4%.

“We had been very fortunate to post handle gains in 2009 and 2010 even though we were faced with increased competition and the challenges of a slow economy,” said John Mooney, the Executive Director of Racing.  “Faced with even more competition and the still sluggish economy, we were not surprised by the decrease in handle this year.  Moving forward into the 2012 season, we are going to re-evaluate every aspect of our live racing product to ensure we have exciting and quality racing for our 75th anniversary season.”

Blind Luck wins Delaware Handicap by nose over Havre de Grace
Wilmington, Del., July 16, 2011 — It was a thrilling stretch battle to the end, and in the end Blind Luck had her nose in front of Havre de Grace on the wire in the Grade II Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park.  Mark DeDomenico, John Carver, Peter Abruzzo and Jerry Hollendorfer’s Blind Luck, the 3-year-old filly champion of 2010, earned a spot in the Breeder’s Cup Ladies Classic, to be run at Churchill Downs on November 4, as the filly and mare classic is a “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge race......................................Click to view complete press release.

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