Delaware Handicap Memories: Blind Luck & Havre de Grace
It need not be old to be classic. The scene was Delaware Park. They may have called the Delaware Handicap of July 16, 2011 a Grade 2 race, but in reality it was Grade 1 all the way. The rivalry between the best two females in America had been picking up steam for more than a year. Blind Luck and Havre de Grace. Havre de Grace and Blind Luck. They are two names, two mares, two champions who will forever be linked in racing history.
Delaware Park was actually where it all began. The same track where the two fantastic mares had begun their rivalry just over a year before, would now play host to arguably their most intense battle. Havre de Grace, a gorgeous four-year-old daughter of Saint Liam was made a slight favorite on the strength of her powerful victory in their most recent meeting, the Azeri Stakes, and her two subsequent wins after. Blind Luck was not far behind on the odds board, though, having also won two in a row after the Azeri. The little filly with the large heart also still owned a slight edge in the rivalry, which previously had been battled out in the Delaware Oaks, Alabama, Cotillion, and Breeders Cup Distaff.
On this afternoon, they would go the classic distance of ten furlongs. There were three other mares in the race, including the classy Life at Ten, but they would become largely inconsequential in this Del ‘Cap, though. The only thing that mattered was the two superior rivals hooking up once again in an absolute donnybrook.
Now seeing two horses battle it down the stretch is not all that uncommon, but there was something different about a Blind Luck and Havre de Grace battle. The intensity was cranked up several extra notches. Following their skirmishes in previous races, these two knew each other all too well. Competitive to a fault, they would lay it all on the line this afternoon in Northern Delaware. In kind, the rest of the field would seemingly fall away, as if to clear the stage for Blind Luck, Garrett Gomez, Havre de Grace, and Ramon Dominguez.
Only special horses can put on a show like the one seen there at Delaware Park, and there can be no doubt that Blind Luck and Havre de Grace were two very special race horses.
Blind Luck narrowly missed out on the 2yo Filly Championship in 2009, but was rewarded with the 3yo Filly Award of 2010. In all, the relentless daughter of Pollard’s Vision won 12-of-22 races, with seven more seconds, and better than three-and-a-quarter million dollars in the bank. Not bad for a filly who began her career in maiden claiming
Havre de Grace may have lost the rivalry 4-2, but she was outstanding enough of a race mare to be named America’s Horse of the Year at the end of the season. In total, she won nine times, with four seconds in sixteen starts, and earned more than $2.5 million. Blind Luck may have gotten a head start in their respective careers, but Havre de Grace proved to be her equal in excellence.
They were two wonderful mares on their own, but together they were even better. Conditioned by Jerry Hollendorfer and Larry Jones, Blind Luck brought out the best in Havre de Grace, and likewise, Havre de Grace brought out the best in Blind Luck. It didn’t get any better than the 2011 Delaware Handicap. This would turn out to be the final act of their fantastic rivalry, and it was the finest racing rivalry so far of the 21st century.