Miss Yearwood rates as the slight morning-line favorite in the $250,000, Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park this Saturday. The 1 3/8-mile turf affair for fillies and mares has attracted a field of eleven.
The Robert G. Dick Memorial has been carded as the seventh race with an approximate post time of 3:30 p.m.
In her most recent start, the 4-year-old daughter of Will Take Charge posted a length triumph in the 1 1/2-mile $225,000 Keertana Stakes over the Churchill Downs turf course on May 27. Previously, the Kentucky-bred conditioned by Ian Wilkes won a 1 1/2-mile turf allowance at Keeneland on April 26. Miss Yearwood has a career record of four wins, two seconds and two thirds from 12 starts with earnings $438,780. She will be ridden by Chris Landeros. The trainer/jockey tandem of Wilkes and Landeros teamed up to win the Robert G. Dick twice with Gentle Ruler in 2019 and 2020.
Trainer H. Graham Motion, who has won the Robert G. Dick Memorial eight times, has entered Chervenell Thoroughbreds Frivole and Madaket Stables and Bill Strauss' Sopran Basilea. Both had impressive efforts in making North American debuts in last race after solid European campaigns.
“They both worked together this morning (Monday),” said trainer H. Graham Motion. “I thought they went well.”
In her only outing this year, Frivole posted a 2 ½-length triumph in a 1 3/8-mile turf allowance at Churchill Downs on May 18. Last year, the 4-year-old daughter of Anodin had a record of a win, four seconds and two thirds while racing in France.
“Obviously, I did not know Frivole could be this kind of horse, but I thought she won pretty impressively at Churchill,” Motion said. “We were rolling the dice a little bit going a mile and three-eighths. I thought she could handle it, but I was not sure, so it kind of was a little bit of an experiment. After she did it so nicely, I thought this was a great spot for her.”
Sopran Basilea finished second beaten 2 ½-lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Gallorette over the Pimlico turf course on May 20 in her 2023 debut. In 2021 and 2022, the 5-year-old daughter of Night of Thunder compiled a record of five wins, five seconds and a third from 15 starts including two victories and three seconds in Group 2 & 3 races mostly at distances going a mile and a quarter or longer in Italy.
“I was a little surprised how well she ran on Preakness Day because I knew the race was going to be short for her, but I was anxious to her started,” Motion said. “I thought she ran extremely well. Running long is obviously what she wants to do. She is kind of proven at these distances. But the timing and her effort in the Gallorette should set her up perfectly for this race.”
Trainer H. Graham Motion won the Robert G. Dick Memorial with Guilty Twelve (2017), Real Smart (2016), Caprice (2009), Rosinka (2007), Alternate (2003 and 2004), New Economy (2002) and Bursting Forth (1999).
$250,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial
For fillies & mares 3-year-olds and upward
at a mile and three-eighths (Turf)
| # | HORSE | OWNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | Wg | OD |
| 1 | Parnac (Fr) | West Point & Dream | Christophe Clement | Trevor McCarthy | 120 | 8-1 |
| 2 | Ever Summer | Brereton Jones | Christophe Clement | TBD | 120 | 12-1 |
| 3 | Lovely Princess | Gentry Farms | Kenneth McPeek | Paco Lopez | 122 | 6-1 |
| 4 | Talbeyah (Ire) | Tracy Farmer | Mark Casse | Dylan Davis | 118 | 15-1 |
| 5 | Frivole (Fr) | Chervenell Thoroughbred | H. Graham Motion | Vincent Cheminaud | 120 | 10-1 |
| 6 | Lady Rockstar | Clipper Logistics | Brendan Walsh | Jareth Loveberry | 120 | 6-1 |
| 7 | Sopran Basilea (Ire) | Madaket & Strauss | H. Graham Motion | Jorge Ruiz | 118 | 6-1 |
| 8 | Miss Yearwood | Long Revocable Trust | Ian Wilkes | Chris Landeros | 124 | 4-1 |
| 9 | Viareggio (Ire) | Hunter Vaallye Farm | Brendan Walsh | Feargal Lynch | 120 | 9/2 |
| 10 | Inanna's Quest | Lynn Ashby | Lynn Ashby | Daniel Centeno | 118 | 20-1 |
| 11 | Deciding Vote | William Pape | Edward Graham | Mychel Sanchez | 118 | 12-1 |
The post Last-Out Winners Miss Yearwood, Frivole Top Field Of 11 For Robert G. Dick Memorial appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
