Royal Delta and Awesome Maria meet again in the Delaware Handicap on 21st July, 2012
The much awaited re-match between Royal Delta and Awesome Maria will get underway on 21st July, 2012, in the Grade 2, $750,000 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park over 1 1/4 miles.
It was Awesome Maria, who prevailed in the Grade 3 Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park by an immense margin of 8 lengths over 1 1/16 miles.
Awesome Maria, trained by Todd Pletcher, is willing to do it all over again, and take home the money and glory by defeating the 2011 Eclipse Award winning filly, Royal Delta, twice in one year.
Pletcher looks optimistic about her form as he stated:
“She gives me the impression she’s at the top of her game.”
The daughter of Maria's Mon, foaled by mare Discreetly Awesome, has never raced over this distance before, but she will not back down from the challenge.
The trainer elaborated on this as he said:
“It’s still a tough challenge, but she’s doing well. Always consistently runs well. I expect her to do the same.”
The renowned trainer has won the Delaware Handicap four times before and, he has pinned all his hopes on, Awesome Maria, for his fifth victory.
Royal Delta, who is under the wing of Bill Mott, will aim to defeat Awesome Maria, and redeem herself.
The daughter of Empire Maker was shipped to the Meydan after the Sabin Stakes to compete in the Grade 1 Dubai World Cup in March, 2012, but fell short of expectations and, finished ninth.
The Besilu Stables owned runner made a grand comeback in the Grade 2 Fleyr De Lis at Churchill Downs on 16th June, where she completed the 1 1/8 mile distance in 1 minute and 49.49 seconds, and defeated the Dale Romans trained,
Afleeting Lady, by eight lengths.
Mott stated that:
“We were coming back from Dubai and hoping to get back to the winner’s circle. We went back to Churchill Downs because it was proven ground and thought it would be a good place to start over and make a good effort to get on the winning path again.
She did that and even more.”
Awesome Maria has a record of 9-3-2 in her fifteen starts and, has career earnings of $1,032,375, whereas Royal Delta’s record shows 6-2-1 in her eleven starts with career earnings worth $1,813,851.
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