Gulfstream Park: Honor D Lady runs away to win Royal Delta

Honor D Lady made her 4-year-old debut a memorable one Saturday by running away from nine others down the stretch to win by two lengths in the Grade 3, $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by Final Furlong Farm and Madaket Stable, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Honor D Lady covered the 1 1/16 mile in 1:44.74. Soul of an Angel was second, and Maryquitecontrary rallied for the show. Honor D Lady returned $11.40.

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Honor D Lady ended her 3-year-old season with a third-place finish in the Comely (G3) at Aqueduct in November after winning the Remington Park Oaks (G3) in September. Earlier in the year she won the Honey Ryder at Gulfstream.

Honor D Lady was settled off a 23.33- and 46.85-second pace set by longshot Yuki before making her move around the final turn outside another Joseph runner in Libban. She entered the stretch with a clear advantage and the victory was never in doubt. It was the third win of the afternoon for Ortiz.

“I watched the replay of when she won at Remington, and Saffie told me how he wanted her to be ridden, so I followed instructions,” Ortiz said. “We wanted to go forward, and if I could work my way to the clear, do that. I did that, and it worked out great.”

“She ran big today off the layoff, and we’re very happy to have a filly like this in our barn,” Joseph said.

Honor D Lady has won on turf, dirt and Tapeta. Joseph said the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn on April 13 might be the filly’s next start.

Maryquitecontrary had won 7 of 13 races, including 7 of 10 at Gulfstream, and was coming into the Royal Delta off a third-place finish in the Inside Information (G2). She never had raced before around two turns. The filly rallied for the show.

Tizzy in the Sky finished fourth. She was making her 5-year-old debut for trainer Todd Pletcher and was making her first start since finishing second Dec. 2 in the Go For Wand (G3) at Aqueduct over a muddy track. She won the Honey Ryder Stakes at Gulfstream in May.

Rosie’s Halo was a late scratch.