Dunbar Road cruises in Delaware Handicap

Peter Brant’s Dunbar Road cruised to an easy victory in the $400,000 Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park Saturday.  

With Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, the 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road posted a 3-length triumph and returned $2.40 as the favorite in the field of six.  Sacarosa, with Carol Cedeno, finished second a length in front of Bellera, with Trevor McCarthy in third.  Dunbar Road covered the mile and an eighth in 1:49.02 over a fast main track.

In her only other outing this year, the Kentucky-bred conditioned by Chad Brown won the 1 1/16-mile $100,000 Shawnee Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs on May 23.  Last year, she won the Mother Goose (G2) at Belmont Park and the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga before finishing third in the Spinster (G1) at Keeneland and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita Park.  She has a career record of six wins from nine starts with earnings of $998,040.

Winning jockey Ortiz was impressed with this race.

“I got a perfect trip,” he said. “She broke really good. I was right behind the early speed right where I wanted to be. I wanted to save some ground and then I got her out. By the 3/8 pole, I started working my way out and I had no trouble, so I just got her clear and she responded. She responded very well. This is a really nice filly. You are going to hear a lot from her – trust me.”