Delphinia scored her first black type victory in impressive fashion Saturday, drawing away decisively to finish seven lengths the best in the 35th running of the $50,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence.
Sister Nation was second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of On Probation.
Ridden by Julio Garcia, Delphinia sat just off the early :22.30 pace set by even-money favorite Promises Broken before taking over approaching the half-mile pole, where she stopped the timer at :45.55. The outcome was never in doubt from that point and she finished the 6 1/2-furlong race in 1:17.52 over Turfway’s Polytrack.
Sent off the third choice at 2-1 in the race for 3-year-old fillies, Delphinia returned $6.80, $4, and $4.40.
Finishing fourth and following were Hansen’s Girl, Spanish Arch, Promises Broken and Beloved Betty. Creative Element, Follow the Petals and Jenna J were scratched by their trainers.
Entering the race, her third start, Delphinia had not raced beyond six furlongs, but the ease with which she drew away bodes well for two-turn tests.
Delphinia is trained by Wesley Ward for Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables LLC and David Shimmon’s Fog City Stables. By The Factor out of the Roar mare Ramblin Rosie, Delphinia was bred in Kentucky by Morris B. Floyd and Gary Layman.
Her record now stands at two wins and one second in three starts. The $30,380 winner’s share of the Cincinnati Trophy purse nearly doubled her earnings, which now total $63,980.
The Cincinnati Trophy Stakes is a local prep for the Grade 3 Bourbonette Oaks, itself a points race for the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The Bourbonette will run March 25 at Turfway as the filly companion to the Grade 3 JACK Cincinnati Casino Spiral Stakes, a Kentucky Derby (G1) points race.
Turfway Park