Candy DeBartolo’s Life at Ten won the $750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap, the first Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifier of the year for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic, at Delaware Park today.

The 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon ran her winning streak to six straight and her trainer Todd Pletcher equaled the Delaware Handicap record of four for most victories by a trainer. Henry Clark, the trainer for Christiana Stables, won four Delaware Handicaps in 1958 and 1959 with Endine and 1969 and 1970 with Obeah. Todd Pletcher won the Delaware Handicap in 2001 with Irving’s Baby, in 2006 with Fleet Indian and in 2007 with Unbridled Belle.

Life at Ten cut early fractions of :49.75 for the half and 1:14.01 before completing the mile and a quarter in 2:03.21. The Kentucky-bred returned $3.20 as the favorite in the field of six. Miss Singhsix, with Jose Valdivia, Jr., finished second 2 ¾-lengths in front of Funny Moon, with Alan Garcia, in third.

“On paper it looked like she was closing the speed, but you never know,” and trainer Todd Pletcher. “She was fortunate to get an easy first quarter and half and she really had a lot left in the stretch, We will probably look at the Personal Ensign at Saratoga next and go from there. It is just special to win the Delaware Handicap because it is such an important race for fillies and mares. We have always looked at the Del ‘Cap as a great opportunity. It has a great tradition and great purse and we have been fortunate enough to win the race four times.”
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Juddmonte Farms’ Treat Gently notched a victory in the $200,000 Grade III Robert G. Memorial ($50,000 included Breeders’ Cup Fund) at Delaware Park today. With John Velazquez aboard, the 5-year-old daughter of Cape Cross scored by 1 ¼-lengths and returned $5.40 as the second choice in the field of ten. A She’s Adorable finished second ¾-lengths in front of Ainamaa, with Abel Castellano, in third. The 3-to-2 favorite, Gozzip Girl, with Elvis Trujillo, finished fourth. The final time for the mile and three-eighths on a firm turf course was 2:19.02.

Treat Gently, a Great Britain-bred trained by William Mott, raised her career record to five wins from 14 starts with earnings of $482,000.

“When I asked her she really responded,” said winning jockey John Velazquez. “She is something and she is very nice.”

Turtle Bird Stable’s Sir Whimsey notched a victory in the $100,000 R.R.M. Carpenter Jr. Memorial at Delaware Park today.

With Alan Garcia aboard, the 6-year-old son of Jump Start posted a 2-length victory and returned $5.40 as the second choice in the field of five. Edgewater, with A.R. Napravnik, finished second a half length in front of Alma d’Oro, with John Velazquez, in third. The After cutting early fractions of :46.42 for the half and 1:10.54 for the three-quarters Our Edge, With Jeremy Rose faded to fourth. The final time for the mile and a sixteenth over a fast main track was 1:43.00.

Sir Whimsey raised his career record to five wins from 24 starts with earnings of $504534.

Robert LaPenta’s Our Edge tops a field of five in the mile and a sixteenth $100,000 R.R.M. Carpenter Jr. Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park this Saturday.

Last year, Our Edge impressively broke his maiden at Delaware Park by notching an 8 ¾-length triumph in his third career start. The Florida-bred trained by Nicholas Zito followed by posting a head victory in the mile and a sixteenth $70,000 Cornado’s Quest at Monmouth Park and then a 7-length score in the mile and a sixteenth $150,000 Grade III Barbaro Stakes at Delaware Park. He had not won since, until his most recent outing when he posted a 2-length win a mile and seventy yard allowance at Monmouth Park on June 26. The 4-year-old son of The Cliff’s Edge has a career record of four wins, a second, and a third from 12 starts with earnings of $229,870.

$100,000 R.R.M. Carpenter Jr. Memoria Stakes

For 3-year-olds and upward

At one mile and a sxiteenth

PP
HORSE
OWNER
TRAINER
JOCKEY
Wg
OD

1
Our Edge
Robert LaPenta
Nicholas Zito
Jeremy Rose
123
8/5

2
Alma d’Oro
Robert & Mary Bourque
Todd Pletcher
JohnVelazquez
123
9/2

3
Edgewater
Lazy Lane Farms
Rodney Jenkins
A. R. Napravnik
119
3-1

4
Crimson Comic
Premier Stables
Mark Shuman
Jeremy Rose
123
8-1

5
Sir Whimsey
Turtle Bird Stable
Steven Asmussen
Alan Garcia
117
2-1

Phillip Maas’ A She’s Adorable will be seeking her second straight victory against stakes company when she meets nine rivals in the $200,000 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (include $50,000 from Breeders’ Cup) at Delaware Park this Saturday. The mile and three-eighths turf test is for fillies and mares.

A She’s Adorable is bringing a record of four wins, four seconds, and a third from ten starts with earnings of $160,600 into race. In her last outing, the 4-year-old daughter of Johar posted a 1 ¼-length score in the mile and a sixteenth on the turf $75,000 John Rooney Memorial at Delaware Park on June 19. Previously, the Kentucky-bred, trained by Michael Stidham, ran second beaten a half length in a one mile turf allowance at Arlington Park. This year, her record is two wins, two seconds, and a third from six starts.

Having a win over the course, a stakes victory, is a plus for A She’s Adorable.

“I think so,” trainer Michael Stidham. “I always think that is an advantage when you run on the surface especially since I think it is her best race to date. She has been doing great. She has been training well and we have had a couple of works since the race.”

Last year, A She’s Adorable started her career by running second in a seven and half furlong $25,000 maiden claiming event. At the time, she did not show that her connections were anything special before her career debut.

“Early on in her training, she just showed us average to moderate ability,” said Stidham. “There really was nothing about her that made us think she was going to be a stakes horse, so at that time we decided to start her off where we thought she would be competitive. She ran a real good race that day and we look at the Ragozin numbers quite a bit for placement of our horses, after we saw the number that she ran first time out, we decided to actually raise her up off of that. She has just been impressive ever since. She is just one of those fillies that no matter where you put her, she really tries hard for you and you cannot ask for more than that.”

$200,000 Grade III Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes

(include $50,000 from Breeders’ Cup)

For fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward

At one mile and three eighths

PP
HORSE
OWNER
TRAINER
JOCKEY
Wg
OD

1
Rcuandry
Keene Ridge Farm
H. Graham Motion
Jeremy Rose
117
8-1

2
Trensa
Helen Groves
Michael Matz
Jose Valdivia Jr.
117
5-1

3
Proud Lisa
Paul Pompa
Joseph Orseno
Brian J. Hernandez Jr
117
15-1

4
Winter’s Circle
James Slack
Robert Bugge
Alex Cintron
117
20-1

5
Gozzip Girl
Farnsworth Farm
Thomas Albetrani
Elvis Trujillo
117
6-1

6
A She’s Adorable
Phillip S. Mass
Michael Stidham
A.R. Napravnik
119
7/2

7
Katara
Whitewood Stable
Michael Matz
Alan Garcia
117
12-1

8
Treat Gently
Juddmonte Farms
William Mott
John Velazquez
123
5/2

9
Ainamaa
Clark Brewster
Gregory Griffith
Abel Castellano
117
8-1

10
Liberally
Andrew Rosen
Thomas Albetrani
W Antonogeorgi III
117
8-1

Candy DeBartolo’s Life At Ten will be seeking her sixth straight victory when she meets five rivals in the 73rd renewal of the $750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap this Saturday.

For the third consecutive time, the mile and a quarter classic for fillies and mares has been designated as a “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge race with the winner automatically qualifying for the Ladies’ Classic at Churchill Downs on November 5.

The 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon became a Grade I winner recently with her 2 ¾-length triumph in the mile and a sixteenth $250,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park on June 12. Previously, the Kentucky-bred, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the mile and an eighth $200,000 Grade III Sixty Sails Handicap by a length at Hawthorne Park on April 17. This year, she is three-for-three and last year, she won her final two outings of the season. She sports a career record of six wins, five seconds, and a third from 13 starts with earnings of $459,267.

While Life At Ten has shown to have ability throughout her career, that talent did not blossom until recently.

“I think there are a couple reasons for it,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “She is a filly who has always shown a lot of potential in the morning. Some of her races were a little bit frustrating, but I think in retrospect we probably ran a few too many times on synthetic surfaces, which did not bring out her best. Also a couple of times last year, we ran her a little bit short of her best distances. Once she got into a good stready rythm and since we have been able to keep her at a nice series of longer races, she has really developed into what we were hoping she could be.”

While longer races bring out her best, she has never raced at a mile and a quarter, but Pletcher is encouraged that she will handle the classic distance.

“She has handled a mile and an eighth very well being 2-for-2,” he said. “Based upon her physical appearance and the way she travels, we think a mile and a quarter is within in her scope.”

Typically, Pletcher would prep his charges in the Obeah Stakes, which is the local prep for the Del ‘Cap, but this year he decided to take a different route. Pletcher could not pass up the opportunity to run his mare in the Grade I Ogden Phipps.

“We have had a lot of luck over the years running in the Obeah and then back in the Delaware Handicap,” he said. “In this particular case, this mare never really had the opporunity to run in a Grade I and we just felt like the Phipps was the right spot for her at that time. We did strongly consider running in the Obeah as a prep for this race, but the Grade I was just too enticing. We were fortunate enough to win and we were very happy about that. This year, we have had a bit of luck running horses over a track for the first time, and I do not think having a race over the Delaware surface is as important now as it was a few years back.”

A victory by Life At Ten will also give Pletcher his fourth Delaware Handicap victory, which would equal the record set by the late great Henry Clark who won the Delaware Handicap in 1958 and 1959 with Endine and 1969 and 1970 with Obeah. Pletcher has won the filly and mare classic with Unbridled Belle in 2007, Fleet Indian in 2006, and Irving’s Baby in 2001.

“It has always been a very good race for us and we have been forunate enough to have very good luck in the Delaware Handicap,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “We have run nice mares in this race before and we think we are bringing a good one back this time who obviously is in very good form. So we are really looking forward to this race.”

$750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap

For fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upwards

at a mile and a quarter

PP
HORSE
OWNER
TRAINER
JOCKEY
Wg
OD

1
Funny Moon
Mrs. Wilson McNeely
Christophe Clement
Alan Garcia
121
7/2

2
Miss Singhsix
Team Valor International
Martin Wolfson
Jose Valdivia, Jr.
118
5-1

3
Milwaukee Appeal
C.E.C. Farms
Scott Farlie
Stewart Elliott
119
2-1

4
Million Seller
Masatake Ikia
H. Graham Motion
Jeremy Rose
114
15-1

5
Miss Match
Lael Stables
Michael Matz
Brian J. Hernandez, Jr.
115
12-1

6
Life At Ten
Candy Debartolo
Todd Pletcher
John Velazquez
122
8/5

The Canadian invader, C. E. C. Farms Milwaukee Appeal will be arriving at Delaware Park from her home base at Woodbine Racetrack late tomorrow afternoon. In her most recent outing, the 4-year-old daughter of Milwaukee Brew finished second beaten a length in the mile and a sixteenth $100,000 Hill N Dale Stakes at Woodbine on June 20. Previously, the Ontario-bred conditioned by Scott Fairlie ran third in the one mile $150,000 Grade II Shuvee Handicap at Belmont Park on May 15. This year, she has a record of a second and a third from two starts.

Milwaukee Appeal could be the most accomplished contender for the Delaware Handicap. She has garnered career earnings of a million plus and last year, she posted a record of two wins, four seconds and two thirds from nine starts including running third beaten a neck in the mile and a quarter Queens Plate at Woodbine and second beaten a nose in the mile and a three-sixteenths Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie, both against the boys, and running second in the mile and a quarter Grade I Alabama Stakes at Saratoga against the girls.

Distance and purse helped convince trainer Scott Fairlie to point her toward the Delaware Handicap

“The distance and the purse are both attractive and the timing,” said trainer Scott Fairlie. “It just made a sense for us. When she did run at a mile and a quarter, she ran ran very credible. The longer she goes the better, a mile and a sixteenth seems to be a bit to short for her, but a mile and an eighth or a mile and a quarter seems to be more to her liking, so the distance is not issue.”

Fairlie does have some concern with the fact that it will be Milwaukee Appeal’s first trip over the track.

“That is always a concern, but I was looking at some of the results from Delaware Park and it seems like the track plays pretty fair,” he said. “It seems like most dirt tracks where you can win on the lead or just off of it. She is a great shipper, so we are not concerned about that. She is doing very well and she came of it her last race very good. I was very happy with the way she came out of that last race here at Woodbine. She has breezed very well since then, so I am quite happy with her and the way she is coming into the Delaware Handicap.”

Milwaukee Brew has a career record is five wins, six seconds and four thirds from 17 starts with earnings of $1,004,401.

Mrs. C Wilson McNeely’s Funny Moon will try to turn the tables on Life At Ten when they meet again in the Delaware Handicap this Saturday. In her last outing, the 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon finished third beaten 2 ¾-lengths against Life at Ten in the mile and a sixteenth $250,000 Grade I Ogden Phipps Handicap at Belmont Park on June 12. Previously, Funny Moon notched a 2 ¾-length triumph in the one mile $150,000 Grade II Shuvee Handicap at Belmont Park on May 15. In her only other outing this year, finished second beaten a length in the mile and a sixteenth $100,000 Grade III Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland on April 16. Last year, the Kentrucky-bred trained by Christophe Clement won the mile and a quarter Grade I Coaching Club American Okas at Belmont Park. She has a career record of five wins, two seconds and third from ten starts with earnings of $404,900.

“She is doing great,” said her trainer Christophe Clement. “The filly has been doing really well. She has had three starts this year, so she is fresh. She had a really nice breeze on Saturday (Five Furlongs in 1:00.60) and she has been training very well at Belmont Park. She really has been great and I could not be happier with her. In her last start, the winner Life At Ten ran a big race that day and I am hoping she may bounce a little bit off of that race. But I am delighted with my filly.”

Clement is encouraged by the longer distance for his filly.

“The further the better,” he said. “The longer she goes, the better she will we be. We will probably ship her on Thursday to give her time to get used to the new surrondings at Delaware Park. “

Team Valor International’s Miss Singhsix, the recent winner of the Grade III Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park, will be returning to Stanton for an engagement in the mile and a quarter Grade II Delaware Handicap this Saturday.

In her last outing, the 5-year-old daughter of Singspiel won the mile and an eighth $150,000 Grade III Obeah Stakes by a nose on June 12. Previously, the Ireland-bred trained by Martin Wolfson finished third to Life At Ten, who she is expected to meet in the Delaware Handicap, in the mile and an eighth $200,000 Grade III Sixty Sails Handicap at Hawthorne Park on April 17. She has a career record of five wins, three seconds and three thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $317,138.

“We will be shipping her Delaware on Thursday,” said trainer Martin Wolfson from his barn at Calder Racecourse in Miami, Florida. “She worked a half last week in :49.40. It is very hot here, so she probably will really not doing anything significant until she gets there and then she will probably only gallop. The race over the track definitely helps and the mile and a quarter will help her as well. Distance is for this mare is really no problem and the further she goes the more effective she will be. She is doing good, it is hot here but she is used to the heat.”

Multiple Grade I winner Blind Luck is on target for the $250,000 Grade II Delaware Oaks to be run this Saturday at Delaware Park. The mile and a sixteenth test will be drawn this Wednesday.

Blind Luck is scheduled to ship from Hollywood Park early Wednesday morning and she will be arriving at Delaware Park later that day.

“She is just going to have a little blowout tomorrow and she will ship on Wednesday,” said her trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “It is a matter of timing and the Delaware Oaks is the best race for me timing wise. My goal is to run well in the Delaware Oaks and then point her to the Alabama at Saratoga on August 21.”

In her most recent outing, the daughter of Pollard’s Vision finished second in the mile and a sixteenth $150,000 Grade II Hollywood Oaks on June 6. Previously, the Kentucky-bred won the mile and an eighth $500,000 Grade I Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on April 30. This year, she has also won the Grade II Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park and the Grade I Las Virgenes at Santa Anita Park. Last year, she won the Grade I Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita and the Grade I Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park. She also ran the third as the 3.70-to-1 favorite the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. Her career record is seven wins, two seconds, and two thirds from 11 outings with earnings of $1,428,712.

Shipping from southern California is a disadvantage, but Hollendorfer thinks his filly will be able to overcome it.

“You hate to ship in into another track into territory where we are not as familiar because it makes it that much more difficult and then you have the question of whether or not your horse will like the racetrack, but we have a quality filly and I think she can adjust to all of that,” he said.

Hollendorfer has taken this route before. In 2008, he shipped Hystericalady to Delaware Park to win the Grade II Delaware Handicap and Blind Luck herself has won over multiple tracks including Oaklawn Park and Churchill Downs.

“I really like the facility at Delaware,” he said. “You get treated well and there is plenty of space and the horses get a chance to relax a little bit. She takes shipping pretty good, but like I said it is not a perfect scenario to ship into other peoples ground, but sometimes you have to do that”

Hollendorfer feels like he has Blind Luck on target for a top performance.

“Two works ago, we had a very fast work,” he said. “It was actually a litter faster than we liked. We slowed her down in her next work which she went 1:13.40 for the six. We are just going to have a little blowout tomorrow in which will be shooting for about :49 for the half. When she gets to Delaware, she will jog a little and gallop over the track, stand up in the gate and go to the paddock. That is the plan, so hopefully everything will work.”

Joel Rosario is scheduled to have the mount aboard Blind Luck in the Delaware Oaks.