The Breeders’ Cup Championships and the $50,000 Crowned Stakes highlights Closing Day for the 75^th season of live racing at Delaware Park this Saturday.

The eight-race live racing program is set to get underway with a 1:15 p.m. post time for the first race.  The 12-race Breeders’ Cup program, simulcast from Santa Anita Park, will begin with a first race post time of 1:05 p.m., with the first Breeders’ Cup race set for 2:50 p.m.  On Friday, the Breeders’ Cup Ladies card will have a first race post time of 2:15 p.m., with the first Breeders’ Cup race set for 4:15 p.m.

A strong contingent of local connections will be seeking national glory in the Breeders’ Cup. 

On Friday, Delaware Park connections will be represented in the Ladies’ Classic, Marathon and Juvenile Fillies Turf.  Locally-based and owned Grace Hall, the winner of the Delaware Oaks; Royal Delta, the winner of the Delaware Handicap; and Love and Pride, the winner of the Obeah Stakes, will be seeking a victory in the Ladies’ Classic.  Eldaafer, who will be ridden by Delaware Park’s current leading jockey Ricardo Santana, and Not Abroad, who is Delaware Certified and trained by Michael Petro and will be ridden by Nicholas Petro, are solid contenders in the Marathon.  Tara From the Cape, the winner of the Thomas “Tuck” Greene earlier this year at Delaware Park, is listed at 12-to-1 in the morning-line odds for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

On Saturday, Delaware Park connections will be represented in the Filly and Mare Sprint, Turf, Sprint and Mile.  Dust and Diamonds, the winner of the Dashing Beauty Stakes at Delaware Park, has been installed as the 9-to-2 third choice in the Filly and Sprint; Optimizer, a winner of his last two, including the Grade III Kent Stakes at Delaware Park, is 20-to-1 in the Turf; Poseidon’s Warrior, who is Delaware Certified, is 15-to-1 in the Sprint; and Animal Kingdom, the winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby conditioned by Fair Hill-based H. Graham Motion, is 8-to-1 in the Turf Mile.

Barry and Joni Butzow’s Bryan’s Jewel tops a field of seven in the Saturday feature at Delaware Park – the $50,000 Crowned Stakes.  The mile-and-a-16th test for fillies and mares has an approximate post time of 4:35 p.m.  In his most recent, Bryan’s Jewel posted a 1¼-length in the George Rosenberger Memorial on the Delaware Park turf on October 20.  The Kentucky-bred conditioned by McLean Robertson has a career record of five wins, four seconds and three thirds from 16 starts, with earnings of $227,903.  Ricardo Santana will have the mount aboard the 4-year-old daughter of Rockport Harbor.

The second race on the live race card will pay tribute to the 101^st Airborne Division on its 70^th Anniversary.  Members of the 101^st Airborne Division will present a silver plate to the winning jockey and horse owner in the Winner’s Circle following the race.

Sharida Nasser Al Kaabi’s Status Symboll, a winner of his last three races, tops the $75,000 Grade I Delaware Park Arabian Classic Handicap.  The one-mile-and-one-quarter test for Arabian 3-year-olds and upward has attracted a field of 11.  The approximate post time is 5:15 p.m.