Ultimate rivalry between Blind Luck and Havre de Grace continues- Garrett Gomez mounts Blind Luck for a slight advantage
The Jerry Hollendorfer’s daughter of Pollard’s Vision, Blind Luck increased her chances to win the $750,000, Grade 2 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park when trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer, announced that champion jockey, Garret Gomez, will ride Blind Luck on July 10.
Last year’s three-year-old champion filly had the privilege to be mounted by Garrett Gomez in her last three starts, breaking the filly’s frustrating five consecutive second-place finish streak.
Garret Gomez led Blind Luck to victories in her two most recent starts.
Blind Luck was assigned a weight of 122 pounds ahead of the 1 ¼ mile dirt test and her division rival, Havre de Grace, to carry 124 pounds.
Blind Luck’s much anticipated clash with rival Havre de Grace will unfold on July 10 at Delaware Park.
Prior to the Delaware meet, both fillies have been involved in some epic clashes with the even stats of 2 a piece.
Blind Luck crossed the wire before Havre de Grace on two occasions, winning the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park on 10 July, 2010, with jockey J Rosario.
Blind Luck also got the best of Havre de Grace in the Grade 1 Alabama Stake at Saratoga on 21 August, 2010, with Rosario.
On the other hand the four year old bay filly, Havre de Grace responded in emphatic manner by defeating Blind Luck in the Grade 2 Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes at Parx on 2 October, 2010, with jockey J Rose, over a distance of 1 mile and half a furlong.
This year in the Grade 3 Azeri Stakes run at Oaklawn Park on 19 March 2011, Havre de Grace broke even with Blind Luck. Winning by 3 ¼ lengths with jockey R A Dominguez on dirt.
Last year in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, the two rivals met only two finish behind the now retired Unrivaled Belle, with Blind Luck finishing second and Havre de Grace third.
The above clashes show how intense the rivalry is and on 10 July at Delaware Park, the two fillies will match strides to make it another mouthwatering clash.
Blind Luck might have a slight advantage this time around, as her rouse will be the two times Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey, Garret Gomez, who also won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2011.
Garret Gomez topped Jerry Bailey’s record by winning 76 stakes races in one season alone in 2007.
The champion Jockey has the honors of defeating the champion mare Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Blame in 2010, his biggest win to date.
With impressive credentials, Garrett Gomez has the ability to guide Blind Luck to a Delaware Handicap win and increase the tally over Havre de Grace to go 3 wins to 2.
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