Delaware Park

A 5-year-old Thoroughbred who auctioned for $800,000 as a yearling is at the center of a "neglect of a horse" case out of Delaware Park. In an Aug. 12 ruling, the stewards at Delaware stated that owner/trainer Alison Escobar disregarded multiple veterinary recommendations by continuing to exercise Ashiham (Tapit), a one-for-eight horse who has changed stables twice after being sold at Keeneland in 2018. Ashiham's lone victory came at Saratoga in 2020 for different connections. "The Stewards were concerned for the health and welfare of Ashiham," the ruling stated in...

With the retirement of Delaware Park's long-time Executive Director of Racing John Mooney announced earlier this week, Delaware Park has promoted Jerome "Jed" Doro to Director of Racing. He will assume most of Mooney's duties, effective Aug. 1. "I am very pleased and excited to announce that Jed Doro has been promoted to Director of Racing," said Kevin DeLucia, Chief Financial Officer at Delaware Park. "We believe the continuity of the program built by [Mooney] is important to the future success of racing at Delaware Park and we believe there...

John Mooney, executive director of racing at Delaware Park, has announced his retirement, effective Aug. 1. Mooney has been involved in racing in the Mid-Atlantic region for nearly 40 years. Shortly after Delaware Park was purchased and reopened by William Rickman, Sr., in 1984, Mooney was named general manager. He was instrumental in keeping Delaware Park competitive in the 1980s and early 1990s with his innovative approach to the sport which included the introduction of the very successful Twin Trifecta. In the summer of 1993, he left Delaware Park to...

3rd-Delaware, $43,350, Msw, 7-23, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:06.99, ft, 3 3/4 lengths. PRINCESS CHESSIE (f, 2, Irish War Cry--Sensible Shoes, by Songandaprayer) became her freshman sire (by Curlin)'s first winner with this 18-1 longshot rally from the back of the field. The David Bloom homebred settled off the pace early in sixth, improved her position through the bend, and launched a wide bid that carried her over the top late by 3 3/4 lengths. The 9-5 favorite Rowsie Express (Golden Lad) followed that one in for minor awards. Princess...

Nearly five months after beginning a suspension for betting against his own mounts, jockey Mychel Sanchez returned to action Wednesday, riding in the second race at Delaware Park. Sanchez finished eighth aboard XY Lady (Sharp Azteca) in the race for 2-year-old maiden fillies. He is also listed on mounts on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday cards at Delaware. Sanchez last rode Jan. 19 at Parx. Shortly after that, the Pennsylvania Racing Commission handed him a 60-day suspension after it was discovered that during a betting spree he made wagers on...

Musicmansandy, picked up at OBS April for $175,000 by H R Bloodstock after breezing in :9 4/5, acted up at the gate but looked the utmost professional on the track, wiring a field of maidens at Delaware Park Wednesday to give Accelerate (Lookin At Lucky) his first winner. Sent from the four post as the 5-2 favorite after a several minute delay due to her being fractious behind the gate, the $160,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase went straight for the lead, shook off a challenge from Fancee Grace C (Girvin)...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-DEL, $40K, MSW, 3yo/up, f, 1m 70ydsT, 1:30 p.m.   COME ON KITTY CAT, a 3-year-old Kitten's Joy home-bred for Alex Campbell, Jr., debuts at Delaware Park Thursday. Out of the Pulpit mare The Right Pew, Come On Kitty Cat is a half-sister to eight winners including two graded stakes performers: Karlovy Vary (Dynaformer), winner of the GI Central Bank Ashland S. who herself went on to produce both back-to-back GII New York S. winner Mean Mary (Scat Daddy), and Bye Bye Melvin (Uncle Mo),...

Amber Cobb, the Thoroughbred owner and trainer who had been summarily suspended by the Delaware Park stewards last month after having already served a 60-day penalty earlier in the summer for "improper or inhumane treatment" of a horse, had her license yanked again Thursday for the remaining term of its three-year issuance, through Dec. 31, 2022. Among the reasons listed in the Oct. 28 revocation ruling by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission (DTRC) were that Cobb failed to appear at a disciplinary hearing Oct. 22 that had been scheduled in...

One day after Coolmore released its star-studded Ashford Stud stallion roster and fees for the 2022 breeding season, Coolmore's nomination sales head Adrian Wallace joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland Wednesday morning. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Wallace talked about his upbringing in the Irish racing and breeding world, the surging Munnings and Caravaggio and early returns on Triple Crown winner Justify. Asked about Munnings, whose stud fee has jumped all the way from $40,000 to $85,000 in recent years, Wallace...

Food and Wine (War Front), the 5-year-old gelding whose mistreatment for a bowed tendon resulted in a trio of "improper or inhumane" care rulings issued by the Delaware Park stewards last Friday, is settling in at his new home, a rehab farm in Townsend, Delaware, that serves as a satellite facility for MidAtlantic Horse Rescue (MAHR). "He's very, very cool. He's just a real classy horse," said Beverly Strauss, the co-founder and president of MAHR. "He's in beautiful condition except for his leg. It's just an unfortunate situation and it's...

The Delaware Park stewards have suspended and fined an owner, trainer and assistant trainer for "improper or inhumane treatment" of a horse diagnosed last spring with a 50% tendon tear. Four related Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission (DTRC) rulings in the case involve a gelding named Food and Wine (War Front) who was disqualified from a June win because of a drug overage. After returning sore from that victory because of a bowed tendon that a veterinarian said required eight to 12 months off, Food and Wine was put back into...

2nd-Delaware, $39,420, Msw, 8-5, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:04.27, ft, 8 lengths. DEFEND (c, 2, American Freedom--Fabiana's Flash, by City Zip) became the sixth winner for his first-crop sire (by Pulpit) with a highly impressive debut romp. Sent off right at his morning line of 4-1, the April foal set the pace from favored Mr. Cunningham (Creative Cause), getting the opening quarter mile in a controlled :22.61. Racing well in hand and going extremely well on the turn, Defend came a bit wide into the lane, but was shaken up under...