Sheer Drama and Frivolous Set for Del Cap Rematch
This Saturday’s Delaware Handicap (G1) is the highlight of Delaware Park’s racing meet and the featured stakes on the twelve race card, which includes three other stakes. The Del Cap drew a very well matched field of seven fillies and mares, which will feature a rematch between 3-1 second choice Frivolous and 2-1 morning line favorite Sheer Drama, the top two finishers in the recent Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs.
Sheer Drama, winner of the Royal Delta (G2) at Gulfstream earlier this year, is entering the Del Cap as the morning line favorite off of strong runner up finishes in the La Troienne (G1) and Fleur de Lis (G2). The latter race saw her checking in 1 ½ lengths behind Frivolous, who will attempt to defeat her rival for the second consecutive time in the Del Cap.
Frivolous posted a 32-1 shocker over Sheer Drama in the Fleur de Lis, prior to that race posting two off the board finishes in the La Troienne and a Keeneland allowance in her only other starts of the year. The 5-year-old daughter of Empire Maker has shown an affinity for Churchill Downs in the past, also winning an allowance and last year’s addition of the Falls City Handicap (G2) over the track, and will attempt to carry her form over to Delaware Park in hopes of landing the biggest victory of her career. Both Sheer Drama and Frivolous share top weight of 118 pounds in this Saturday’s affair.
Flashy American hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since April of last year, but close second place finishes in the Bayakoa (G3) and Iowa Distaff so far this year were enough to land her 4-1 third choice on the morning line. After starting off the year falling short in the Bayakoa (G3) by a neck to Mufaajah, Flashy American ran a dull last place effort in the Azeri (G2) before rebounding in the Iowa Distaff and again falling only a neck short of victory to Diva’s Diamond.
Rosalind, who was scratched out of last weekend’s Robert G. Dick Memorial (G3) on the turf, enters the Del Cap off a late running fourth place finish behind Wedding Toast and champion Untapable in the Ogden Phipps (G1) on the Belmont Stakes undercard. Prior to her main track return, Rosalind posted a win in the 11-furlong Sheepshead Bay (G2) on the turf. After racing exclusively on turf over the past year, Rosalind switched back to dirt for her fourth place finish in the Ogden Phipps (G1) and is looking to improve second time around in the Del Cap.
8-1 co-fifth choice America finished off the board in her past two graded stakes forays after landing her first stakes victory at Aqueduct in the Affectionately on New Year’s Day. Joint Return, the most familiar with Delaware Park, is looking to add the Del Cap to her Delaware resume alongside a stakes win in last year’s Our Mims and second place efforts in last year’s Delaware Oaks (G2) and this year’s Obeah (G3) in her last start. Fortune Pearl, winner of last year’s Delaware Oaks (G2), rounds out the field.
Also featured on the star studded Delaware Handicap card is the Kent (G3) starring New York-bred stakes winner Chief Kitten, the Hockessin Stakes featuring Fast Anna and Stallwalkin’ Dude, and the Carl Hanford Memorial starring Normandy Invasion in his first stakes appearance since last year’s Met Mile.