Delaware Park wrap: Foggy Night gets up in Delaware Oaks

Foggy Night notched her first career stake victory in the Grade 3, $300,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park on Saturday.

With Paco Lopez aboard, the Pine Brook Farm-owned daughter of Khozan won by 1 3/4 lengths. Opus Forty Two, with Daniel Centeno, finished second, a nose in front of Miracle, with Trevor McCarthy, in third. The 4-to-5 favorite in the field of eight, Fireline with Dylan Davis, finished fourth. Foggy Night paid $30.40 as the fourth choice.

Trainer Robert “Butch” Reid had always been confident with her ability and talent.

“She showed it as 2-year-old and the key is she can run a long way,” said Reid, who also won the Delaware Oaks in 2020 with Project Whiskey. “We gave her a nice freshening over the winter. She got a little stale toward the end of the year, so we gave her a nice freshening and measured her right up to this race. After the layoff we got a couple of nice seven-eighth races in her and this was her first time going a mile and a sixteenth. It worked out.”

Reid is not sure where he will run Foggy Night next.

“I really have not thought much past this race,” Reid said. “We did take some stalls at Saratoga, so that is a possibility. Of course, the Monmouth Oaks is another possibility. But we will design the rest of the summer after this.”

Sopran Basilea gives Motion 9th Robert G. Dick Memorial win

Sopran Basilea notched her first North American victory in the Grade 3, $250,300 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park on Saturday, giving trainer H. Graham Motion his ninth victory in the race.

With Jorge Ruiz aboard, the 5-year-old daughter of Night of Thunder won by a neck over Ever Summer, with Jorge Vargas, Jr. It was a half length farther back to Parnac, with Trevor McCarthy, in third.

Click here for Delaware Park entries and results.

Previously, Sopran Basilea finished second in the 1 1/16-mile Gallorette (G3)  at Pimlico in her North American debut on May 20. In 2021 and 2022, the Ireland-bred compiled a record of five wins, five seconds and a third from 15 starts including two victories and three seconds in Group 2 and 3 races, mostly at distances going 1 1/4 miles or longer in Italy.

“Jorge gave her a beautiful ride,” said Motion. “I honestly did not know she was this good, but off of her European form, she looked like she was. She ran beautiful. She tries hard, she is genuine and very honest. She ran super and she could not have done much better than that.”

Motion was not sure about her next start.

“I really have not thought much beyond this race,” Motion said. “Obviously, there is the Glenn Falls at Saratoga, which would fit, but we will see.”

Since the Robert G. Dick Memorial was inaugurated in 1997, Motion has won the race with Guilty Twelve (2017), Real Smart (2016), Caprice (2009), Rosinka (2007), Alternate (2003 and 2004), New Economy (2002) and Bursting Forth (1999).

“This has been a really lucky race for us,” Motion said. “I feel very lucky, but it is not a complete surprise for us because we do train a lot of distance fillies, but we are so lucky. We have a great history with Delaware, so this is very special.”

Sopran Basilea returned $9.00 as the third choice in the field of seven and she covered the mile and three-eighths in 2:20.27 over a soft turf course. She raised her record to six wins from 17 starts with earnings of $512,145.