Idiomatic, Morning Matcha Leading Six in Delaware ‘Cap

Breeder of Juddmonte Farm Idioms topped a field of six in the 86th run of the 8th of July $500,000 Delaware Handicap (G2) at Delaware Park. This will be the first year the classic mares and mares will compete at 1 3/16 mile after being run at 1 1/4 mile every year since 1951 (except for 2020 when the race is on). race was run at 1 1/8 mile due to the pandemic). The Delaware Handicap has been billed as the ninth race with an approximate posting time of 4:46 p.m. ET.

In its most recent start, Idiomatic recorded a 2.5-mile victory on June 3 in the 1 1/16-mile Shawnee Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Before that, the 4-year-old daughter of make for curly runner-up on May 6 in the one-mile Ruffian Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park. The Kentucky hybrid driven by Brad Cox has a record of five wins, one second and two thirds from eight starts with earnings of $474,490.

LC Racing, Cash is King and Gary Barber’s Morning matcha could bring Robert “Butch” Reid Jr. a rare coaching double by beating Delaware Oaks and Delaware Handicap in the same year. Todd Pletcher and Jerry Hollendorfer are the only coaches to win both races in the same year. Pletcher won both with Goodbye (Oak) and Indian Fleet (Handicap) in 2006 and Hollendorfer won both with It Tiz Yes (Oak) and Lark (Approval) in 2017. Reid won Delaware Oaks for the second time last Saturday, with Foggy night . Reid, 66 and from Woodbury, NJ, won his first Delaware Oaks with whiskey project in 2020. He never started in Delaware Handicap.

“For me personally, it’s great to have this opportunity because Delaware Park is a track I grew up on for half an hour, so we’re always watching those big races,” Reid said. “As kids, we always went to Delaware Parks and those are races that we always look forward to seeing, so this is really exciting. We have been very fortunate to have been in Delaware for several years. via.”

In her most recent run, Morning Matcha came in second, being beaten May 27 in the local prep, 1 1/6 mile $160,000 Obeah Stakes. On the only other outing this year, ‘s half-Pennsylvania daughter central bank posted a two-way win on April 24 in the state-generated seven-length game worth $103,000 Unique Bella Stakes at The Parx . Race. Last year, the 4-year-old had a record of two wins, two seconds and three thirds in 10 starts, including a third at Delaware Oaks, a runner-up at the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx and one third at the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx. Comley shares (G3) at Aqueduct race track. She has a career record of five wins, six seconds and five thirds from a 19th start with earnings of $743,390. It was bred by the Crane Thoroughbred Service, located about 74 miles from Delaware Park in Lebanon County, Pa.

“I’m pretty excited about Morning Matcha, especially after seeing previous performances of the race,” Reid said. “Looks like there’s quite a bit of pace in the race, so it’s going to set up really well for her. The reason we brought her into Obeah was to let her run on the track this season. As a coach has been running in Delaware Park for a long time, I really appreciate having a horse race on the track.Hope that will work in our favor. she managed to do it before, but she just had a bit of bad luck. A A little longer distance would also help her because she’s the type to run all day. Distance should be right above her alley.”

Her jockey Paco Lopez will also shoot the Delaware Oaks/Delaware Handicap double because he was a rider on the Foggy Night in Delaware Oaks last Saturday. The last time a jockey won both races in the same year was in 1977 when Jorge Velasquez made the feat aboard the Cum Laude Laurie (Oaks) and Our Mims (Acceptable). Three other jockeys did the same. They were Eddie Maple with Pacific Princess (Oaks) and Optimistic Gal (Handicap) in 1976, John Rotz with Gallant Bloom (Oaks) and Obeah (Handicap) in 1969 and Bill Hartack with Bayou (Oaks) and Princess Turia (Handicap) in 1957. .

Since Obeah Stakes was inaugurated in 1996, four mares or mares have won the race and followed by winning the Delaware Handicap. They are the older female champion in 2006 Indian Fleet , I’m a Chatbox in 2016, Miss Marissa in 2021, and Miss Leslie last year. The two fillings finished second in Obeah and beat Delaware Handicap. They did Power game in 1997 and Belle can’t hold back in 2007. Three winners of the Obeah Stakes followed by finishing second in the Delaware Handicap. They did Under the carpet in 2001, You are disqualified in 2002 and Horse of the Year 2011 Havre de Grace .

This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.