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.
“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.