Elate overcomes lengthy layoff to win Delaware Handicap

Elate had been away for eight months, but the way she ran in the Grade 2, $750,000 Delaware Handicap didn’t show it.

The Bill Mott-trained daughter of Medaglia d’Oro sat back early off a slow pace and made an early move under regular jockey Jose Ortiz. The front runners faded and the others gave chase, but Elate opened up in the homestretch, crossing the 3 ¼ lengths in front.

“I had Johnny [Velazquez] and the other horse [Unbridled Mo] to beat in front of me,” Ortiz said of his ride. “Mario [Gutierrez] with the O’Neill filly [Mopotism] in front of me, so I’m looking at them and on the backside I thought they were going pretty slow so I decided to make a move and I did it.”

Ortiz was challenged with a quick decision to make at the start. The filly to his outside, Nikki My Darling, fell to her knees coming when the gates opened, and Ortiz had been expecting her to show speed.

“I didn’t know what to do,” he said. “Go or take back?”

As Nikki My Darling regained ground, Ortiz took back on Elate, settling only in front of the late-running Fuhriously Kissed. Proper Discretion took the lead over Mopotism and Unbridled Mo, coasting through a slow half-mile in :24.21 and :49.38. Teresa Z and Sneaky Betty were to the inside of Nikki My Darling, with the last two fillies just behind them in a close pack.

With only half a mile left, was in contention as Proper Discretion led another quarter-mile in 1:14. The pace folded, including Mopotism and Unbridled Mo, and Elate became the filly to catch. Sneaky Betty and Teresa Z ran after Elate but had to settle for second and third respectively.

Elate coasted past the wire first, making her seasonal debut a winning one and completing the 1 ¼ miles in 2:04.83.

Fuhriously Kissed ran late to catch fourth over Unbridled Mo, Mopotism, Nikki My Darling and Proper Discretion. Farrell was scratched.

Winner of last year’s Grade 1 Alabama Stakes and Grade 1 Beldame, the Delaware Handicap marked Elate’s fifth win in 11 starts and pushed her earnings to over $1.2 million for owners Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider.

“All the credit to Bill to have her ready,” Ortiz said. “Eight, nine-month layoff, and great job by the whole staff. Exercise rider, groom, hot walkers in Bill’s barn. They had her ready. She was ready today.”