Wet Paint The Class of the Delaware Handicap

Godolphin's Wet Paint (Blame) ships in from trainer Brad Cox's Kentucky base at Churchill Downs as the favorite for Sunday's GII Delaware Handicap, the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar in the 'First State.' That fact notwithstanding, she'll need to bring her best if she is to put a halt to a four-race skid dating back to a narrow victory in last year's GI CCA Oaks at Saratoga.

Runner-up to the highly impressive Randomized (Nyquist) in the GI Alabama Stakes, the homebred was never a factor when eighth to stablemate Idiomatic (Curlin) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff and called it a season after winning half of her eight starts. A well-beaten sixth in the GI Apple Blossom Handicap on 4-year-old debut Apr. 13, she closed off fairly to be third in the GIII Shawnee S. to Scylla (Tapit), who backed up that effort in last weekend's GII Fleur de Lis Stakes in Louisville.

Honor D Lady (Honor Code) could prove the spoiler here, as she has a few races on paper that would trouble the chalk. Winner of the GIII Remington Park Oaks last fall, she returned from a freshening and posted a career-best 94 Beyer when taking out Gulfstream's GIII Royal Delta Stakes by two lengths Feb. 17. The Apple Blossom proved a bridge too far, as she was last of nine, but bounced back nicely from a speed-figure perspective when runner-up to Grade I winner Candied (Candy Ride {Arg})–with Saddle Up Jessie (More Than Ready) third–in the June 8 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth, giving eight pounds to her younger rival.

The wagering public won't be getting the 3-1 morning-line odds about War Like Goddess (English Channel), but her mere presence in the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes makes it a contest worth watching. The three-time Grade I winner should appreciate this 11-furlong trip more than she did the mile and three-sixteenths of the GI New York Stakes at Saratoga, when she was making a belated seasonal debut and ran on to be a sound third behind Didia (Arg) (Orpen).

A strong supporting cast includes Chop Chop (City of Light), who defeated Atomic Blonde (Ger) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}) in Keeneland's GIII Bewitch Stakes in April before the latter reversed form last time in the May 25 Keertana Stakes at Churchill.