Delaware arrived in the United States with high expectations after displaying group-stakes winning form in France. In his seventh start since coming to North America, the British-bred son of Frankel used a deep-stretch surge April 10 to overtake pacesetter Rinaldi in the final sixteenth, setting an Aqueduct Racetrack inner turf course record at one mile with a three-quarter length score in the $100,000 Danger's Hour Stakes.
The sixth running of the Danger's Hour—the first turf stakes of 2021 on the NYRA circuit—saw Rinaldi break well from the inside post and lead the seven-horse field of 4-year-olds and up through the opening quarter-mile in 23.67 seconds, the half in 47.27 and three-quarters in 1:10.27 over firm going.
Delaware, under jockey Manny Franco's patient ride, saved ground with plenty left approaching the final turn in sixth position. Straightening for home, Franco tipped out his charge, who picked off four challengers easily before honing in on Rinaldi.
Past the sixteenth marker, Delaware displayed an impressive turn-of-foot from the outside, overtaking his rival and stopping the clock in 1:33.67. That bested Inspector Lynley's previous course mark of 1:34.13, set April 7, 2019 in the previous running of the Danger's Hour.
Delaware, owned by Michael Dubb, Nice Guys Stables, and Michael Caruso, was looking to atone for a pair of off-the-board efforts in Florida. The Chad Brown trainee struggled with the Gulfstream Park turf when 10th in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) to cap his 2020. Making his 5-year-old debut February 6 at Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware encountered a troubled trip, finishing eighth in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T).
But in his first start at Aqueduct since running third in the one-mile Artie Schiller in November, Delaware earned his first winner's circle trip since taking the Shadwell Prix Daphnis (G3T) at Deauville in France in August 2019.
"It's very gratifying. His last couple of starts didn't go well," Brown said. "He didn't care for Gulfstream's turf very much and then he got a terrible trip down there in Tampa. But I want to thank the ownership group for staying with it. We took him to the track he last ran well at and went back to basics and Manny gave him a great ride."
Off at 10-1, Delaware returned $22.20 on a $2 win wager.
"He had a nice turn of foot turning for home," Franco said. "When I put him in the clear and outside of horses, he took off for me. Chad did a great job with him."
Bred by Juddmonte Farms, Delaware is one of two stakes winners out of the Oasis Dream mare Zatsfine. The dam is a half to group stakes winners Byword and Proviso.
Rinaldi, owned and trained by James Bond, looked sharp off a five-month layoff. The 5-year-old son of Posse's previous start was a fourth-place Artie Schiller effort, but the winter break on Bond's Song Hill Farm near Saratoga Springs saw a rejuvenated New York-bred. Saturday's runner-up finished three lengths clear of grade 1-winning Decorated Invader in third.
Penalty, Tiberius Mercurius, Hieronymus, and 6-5 favorite Analyze It completed the order of finish. Price Talk was scratched, as was main track-only entrant Zoomer.
Brown, who also trains Analyze It, said he will examine the three-time graded stakes winner after he ran last in his first since an eighth-place effort in the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T) in October at Keeneland.
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Horologist Wins Seasonal Debut
Earlier on the Aqueduct card, three-time graded stakes winner Horologist recaptured her 2020 form in notching a comeback triumph in Saturday's 80th running of the $100,000 Top Flight Invitational Stakes, a dirt 1 1/8-mile test for older fillies and mares.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the New Jersey-bred daughter of Gemologist is owned by There's A Chance Stable, Medallion Racing, Abbondanza Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Paradise Farms Corporation and David Staudacher.
Last season, Horologist put together a successful 4-year-old campaign which earned her New Jersey Horse of the Year honors. Her accomplishments included triumphs in the Molly Pitcher Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park and the Beldame Invitational Stakes (G2 )at Belmont Park. She capped off her prosperous season in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Keeneland when ninth to Monomoy Girl.
Off the five-month respite, Horologist broke sharply from post 5 but allowed Comely Stakes (G3) victress Mrs. Danvers to dictate terms into the first turn. Jockey Junior Alvarado kept Horologist one path to the pacesetter's outside in second through easy opening fractions of :24.72 for the quarter-mile and :49.55 for the half-mile over the fast main track.
Around the far turn, Horologist inched her way up to even terms with Mrs. Danvers and put up a furious bid when asked. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche started getting busy aboard Mrs. Danvers, who was a persistent customer toward the inside. Just outside the eighth pole, Horologist put a nose in front and never relinquished, taking her 5-year-old debut by one length in a time of 1:52.14.
It was another neck to Sonata Stable's Lucky Stride, last-out winner of the Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel Park, who was compromised at the start but produced a late-closing effort to complete the trifecta.
Queen Nekia, Thankful, and Flashndynamite completed the order of finish.
Returning $4.00 as the even-money favorite, Horologist upped her lifetime earnings past the three-quarter million mark to $770,439 and a record of 8-2-4 from 21 starts.
The win was a third stakes triumph of the 11-day Aqueduct spring meet for Mott and Alvarado, who previously teamed up with Modernist in the Grade 3 Excelsior Stakes (G3) as well as Distaff Handicap (G3) winner Paris Lights, who, like Horologist, also was making her first start of 2021.
"Coming off the layoff, this track is very tiring and I didn't want to be on the lead and have someone putting pressure on me the whole way," said Alvarado, who was aboard Horologist for her Beldame Invitational triumph. "It took me a little bit to get her settled, but when she settled on the backside, I knew it was good. When she [Mrs. Danvers] came back to me, I knew we were good after that. Turning for home, I had to ask her a little bit, but it's not easy coming from a layoff on this track going a mile and an eighth. She really tried. I was pretty happy with the way she did it. She was the class of the race."
Bred by Holly Crest Farm, Horologist is the only winner out of the Stephen Got Even mare Cinderella Time. The dam also has a 2-year-old colt by Peace and Justice named Lost Slipper and an unamed yearling filly by Twirling Candy .
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