Joseph chases 2nd straight Del ’Cap with Dazzling Move

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. goes for a repeat in Delaware Park’s signature race, bringing Dazzling Move to the 88th running of the Grade 3, $400,000 Delaware Handicap on Sunday.

Joseph won the race for the first time in 2024 with Honor D Lady. The 1 1/8-mile dirt feature for fillies and mares has been carded as the eighth race with a post time of 4:46 p.m. EDT.

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The Delaware Handicap was selected as a Breeders’ Cup dirt-dozen bonus series race for the $2 million Distaff on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The winner will receive a credit for $30,000 toward entry fees, second place $15,000 and third place $7,500.

In her most recent outing, Dazzling Move ran fifth in the Personal Ensign (G1) at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga on Aug. 23. The Ontario-bred ran second in the 1 1/8-mile Shuvee (G2) on July 18 and second in the 1 1/8-mile Ogden Phipps (G1) on June 6, both of which were at Saratoga. The 4-year-old daughter of Not this Time owned by Miller Racing has a career record of 20: 4-4-3 with earnings of $458,359.

Regaled seeks her first stakes victory in the Delaware Handicap. In her last start the 4-year-old daughter of Mohaymen ran third in the 1 1/16-mile Locust Grove (G2) at Churchill Downs on Sept. 13. The Kentucky-bred trained by Whit Beckman for owners Ribble Farms and Front Page Equestrian finished second in the Groupie Doll, a one-mile stakes at Ellis Park on Aug. 10. Last year she ran third in the Delaware Oaks (G3). She has a career record of 16: 3-2-3 with earnings of $258,810.

“We are wheeling her back on pretty short rest after the Locust Grove, but she is training well, and this is a good opportunity,” Beckman said. “She is a consistent filly who runs her race every time. She ran well in the Delaware Oaks last year, so we are expecting her to be competitive this Sunday.”

Majestic Oops has gotten better with age. The 5-year-old daughter of Majestic Harbor trained by Dan Ward for Medallion Racing, Evan Trommer, Agave Racing Stable, Sublime Stables and Janet Kropp has a career record of 31: 7-11-4 and earnings of $596,559. Ward has some experience with Delaware Handicap success. He was the assistant when Jerry Hollendorfer won three times with Hystericalady in 2008, Blind Luck in 2011 and Songbird in 2017.

This year Majestic Oops has put it all together. So far in 2025, the California-bred has notched a 9: 3-3-1 record including victories in the Dig A Diamond Stakes at Oaklawn Park and the Lady’s Secret at Monmouth. She also ran second in the Molly Pitcher (G3) at Monmouth Park. In her most recent start she finished third in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

“She was running really good in Western Canada, but the thing is she never won a race worth more than $24,000 to the winner, so when we got her at Oaklawn, she qualified for many allowance conditions there,” Ward said. “She ran some good races, but when she won the allowance in early April, she got some confidence and just kept getting better and better. Once she became comfortable with sitting off the pace and being relaxed, it made a big difference. When she stepped into stakes competition, those were legit races, because she gave some really nice fillies and mares weight and still ran well, so she showed she is not a fluke.”

Gun Song and Margie’s Intention were entered in the Delaware Handicap but will not run, because they contested the Beldame (G2) at Belmont at Big A on Friday. Gun Song won, and Margie’s Intention finished third.