Trainer Al Stall's Dalika sat close to pacesetter Candy Flower throughout much of the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes, waited for the final turn of the 1 3/8 mile test, and then took over leadership of the field of nine to win the Grade 3 turf stake on the soft turf at Delaware Park in Wilmington, De.
Improving on her last-out second place to Temple City Terror in the Keertana at Churchill Downs, Dalika broke clean from the eighth post, hooking up with Candy Flower early, content to hang just a neck off the front runner. Candy Flower, who was trying stakes company for the first time, set fractions of :24.53 for the first quarter and then :48.61 for the first half, a steady pace that allowed jockey Miguel Mena to stay with her through the first six furlongs. Behind them, Blame Debbie and Temple City Terror were six lengths back, with the rest of the field spread out over the soft turf course.
Into the final turn, Dalika easily moved past a fading Candy Flower, taking a two-length lead over Luck Money surging out in the middle of the track and Blame Debbie on the rail. Into the stretch, Dalika had the lead as Luck Money came up to challenge, but that steady early pace meant that Dalika had enough left in reserve to hold off Luck Money and increase her lead to a length in the race's final strides, with Temple City Terror surging down the middle of the track to take third. La Dragontea, Blame Debbie, Hotsy Totsy, Micheline, Tonal Verse, and Candy Flower round out the field. The final time for the 1 3/8-mile was 2:16.35.
Dalika paid $10.60, $6.00, and $4.00. Luck Money paid $6.00 and $3.40. Temple City Terror paid $3.60 to show.
Bred in Germany by Gestut Ammerland, Dalika is a 5-year-old mare by Pastorius out of the Hurricane Run mare Drawn to Run. She is owned by Bal Mar Equine, LLC. With her win in the G3 Robert G. Dick Memorial, Dalika improves to a career record of seven wins in 22 starts with $508,463 in winnings.
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