The defending champion, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s homebred ELATE dominated the $750,000 Grade II Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park. With the victory, the 5-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro becomes the seventh horse to win the race twice. Elate cantered to an easy 4-1/2-length victory with regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard, returning $2.60 as the favorite in the field of nine.
![](https://claibornefarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LawnJockey.jpg)
“I think she is getting back to her old form,” said winning rider Jose Ortiz. “Hopefully she will come out of here well and continue to get better. She loves a mile and a quarter. I am a little disappointed that there are not more races at the distance. She is the best horse in the filly and mare division going a mile and a quarter but I also think she can cut back to a mile and an eighth and make it work.”
Elate was coming off a win in the Grade 2 Fleur De Lis Stakes at Churchill Downs. The 2019 Del Cap marks the mare’s 5th graded stakes victory.