BB Horses' Miss Leslie notched her sixth career stake victory in the $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park today. The Obeah Stakes is the local prep for the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap to be run on July 9.
With Angel Cruz aboard, the 4-year-old daughter of Paynter prevailed by a half-length over the 4-to-5 favorite Battle Bling, with Kendrick Carmouche. It was another 2 3/4 lengths farther back to Hybrid Eclipse, with Jevian Toledo, in third.
Miss Leslie returned $6.60 as the second choice in the field of six. The Kentucky-bred trained by Claudio Gonzalez covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:47.14 over a fast-main track.
Flight to Shanghai, with Victor Carrasco, cut early fractions of :51.10 for the half mile and 1:15.53 for the three-quarter miles before finishing fourth.
Miss Leslie, who was claimed for $25,000 after her third lifetime outing in 2020, raised her career record to nine wins from 21 starts with earnings of $565,650.
Trainer Claudio Gonzalez is considering the Delaware Handicap for her next start.
“She ran really big,” said trainer Claudio Gonzalez. “She closed after getting no pace. There are not many horses who can do that. The Del Cap is a possibility. It is all going to depend on how she comes back. If she comes back in good shape we will point for the Delaware Handicap.”
Despite drifting out in the stretch, Miss Leslie secured the victory and her jockey Angel Cruz is confident the mile and a quarter distance of the Delaware Handicap will not be an issue for her.
“I hit her one time left handed and I guess she shied away from stick, but it played out well,” said winning rider Angel Cruz. “The pace was slow and she came with a big run. The longer the better for her. This team really had her ready to go today.”
The Obeah Stakes is named in honor of the two-time Delaware Handicap winner in 1969 and 1970 and the dam of the Hall of Fame filly Go For Wand who was locally owned by Jane and Harry duPont's Christiana Stable.
Since the Obeah Stakes was inaugurated in 1996, three fillies or mares have won the race and followed with a victory in the Delaware Handicap. They were the 2006 older female champion Fleet Indian, I'm a Chatterbox, who won the race in 2016, and Miss Marissa, who won last year. Two fillies have finished second in the Obeah and won the Delaware Handicap. They were Power Play in 1997 and Unbridled Belle in 2007. Three winners of the Obeah Stakes have followed by running second in the Delaware Handicap. They were Under the Rug in 2001, Your Out in 2002 and the 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace.
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