Delaware Handicap Odds and Preview

by Patricia Woo | Jul 12 2010

On Saturday, July 17, fillies and mares 3 years old and up will take to the track at Delaware Park for the $750,000 Gr. 2 Delaware Handicap. Life at Ten, Miss Singhsix and Mindy Sue are among those scheduled to contest the 1 ¼ mile race.

Unbeaten in her three races so far this year, Life at Ten is going into the Delaware Handicap as one of the clear frontrunners. This 5-year-old mare is a Todd Pletcher trainee who has recently found her stride as a dirt runner. Her first win of the year was in the Rare Treat Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 20; she then won her first attempt at a graded stakes race in the Gr. 3 Sixty Sails Handicap at Hawthorne Park in April. A step up in class netted her another victory on June 12 at Belmont Park: the Gr. 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap versus Unrivaled Belle, who had previously beaten 2009 Horse of the Year Rachael Alexandra. Life at Ten, a daughter of Malibu Moon, has earned $459,267 and is 6-5-1 from 13 starts in her career thus far.

Another 5-year-old mare coming off the biggest win of her career yet is Miss Singhsix, a daughter of Singspiel. Trained by Marty Wolfson, Miss Singhsix has been rapidly improving, building off a mediocre 2009 campaign. She began her 5-year-old campaign with a pair of third-place finishes: The first was in the Gr. 3 Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 20 and the second was behind Life at Ten in the Sixty Sails Handicap in April. But she has since come into her own, utilizing a powerful rally to take down the leader of the $150,000 Gr. 3 Obeah Stakes late in the race. The Obeah Stakes was the last stepping stone in a series of preps at Delaware Park for the Delaware Handicap, and that experience should serve Miss Singhsix well on Saturday. She has a race record of 19-5-3-3 and has earned $317,138.

Taking a big step up in class is Mindy Sue, a 4-year-old filly by Pleasantly Perfect. Despite finishing fifth in the Obeah Stakes behind Miss Singhsix, her performance showed enough promise to warrant a shot at the Delaware Handicap. She does have two wins under her belt this year, beginning with an allowance optional claimer at Oaklawn Park in April and followed by the Winter Melody Stakes at Delaware Park on May 8. Trained by McLean Robertson for owner Joseph Novogratz, Mindy Sue has earned $131,700 and is 4-3-2 from 10 starts.

Also nominated: Funny Moon, who finished third in the Ogden Phipps Handicap, as well as Morena, who was runner-up in the Obeah Stakes.

Catch all the horse racing action at Delaware Park! Bet on the Delaware Handicap at the Bodog Racebook.