LC Racing, Cash is King and Gary Barber's Morning Matcha tops a field of six entered in the $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park May 27. The 1 1/16-mile contest is the local prep for the July 8 Delaware Handicap (G2).
In her only outing this season, Morning Matcha won the seven-furlong Pennsylvania-bred restricted $100,000 Unique Bella Stakes by two lengths at Parx Racing April 24.
"The main objective was to give her a race to start her season, so kind of anything we made going seven-eighths would have been a bonus," said her trainer Robert "Butch" Reid, Jr. "For her to jump up and win, was a real pleasant surprise."
Last year, the daughter of Central Banker compiled a record of two wins, two seconds, and three thirds, including a victory in the Main Line Stakes at Parx, a pair of seconds in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx and the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack, and a pair of thirds in the Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park and the Comely Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred has earned $713,390 from 18 starts.
"We are looking for a big race on Saturday," said Reid.
Paco Lopez rides.
Stakes winners Hybrid Eclipse and Award Wanted are other accomplished entrants in Saturday's field. Dangerous following a class drop is Traverse, sixth in the Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) last month at Keeneland.
Entries: Obeah S.
Delaware Park, Saturday, May 27, 2023, Race 6
- STK
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $150,000
- 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 3:00 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Morning Matcha (PA) | Paco Lopez | 120 | Robert E. Reid, Jr. | 8/5 |
| 2 | 2Tap the Faith (KY) | Carol Cedeno | 120 | Christophe Clement | 9/2 |
| 3 | 3Pistol Liz Ablazen (KY) | Mychel J. Sanchez | 120 | Robert E. Reid, Jr. | 12/1 |
| 4 | 4Hybrid Eclipse (KY) | Sheldon Russell | 125 | Brittany T. Russell | 9/2 |
| 5 | 5Award Wanted (MD) | Angel Cruz | 120 | John J. Robb | 6/1 |
| 6 | 6Traverse (KY) | Jaime Rodriguez | 125 | Riley Mott | 5/2 |
