A field of six will line up for Saturday's GII Royal Delta S., a race named in honor of the three-time Eclipse Award winner who passed away suddenly last week. The two-time GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine won this race when it was contested as the Sabin S. in 2013.
Eskenformoney (Eskendereya), three-for-five lifetime at Gulfstream Park, makes her first start since defeating Curlin's Approval (Curlin) by 3/4 of a length in the one-mile GIII Rampart S. Dec. 17.
“She likes Gulfstream and she generally has run well here,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of Eskenformoney, who was second over track and trip in the 2015 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks. “She's always been sort of a thin filly and the older she has gotten, the stronger she has gotten, and is holding her weight much better than she ever has before. We intentionally gave her plenty of time between the last race and this one. She's training well.”
Curlin's Approval cut back to seven furlongs with a popular tally in Gulfstream's GIII Hurricane Bertie S. Jan. 28. She makes her two-turn debut in the Royal Delta.
“I feel she's ready. She's developing nicely,” owner/breeder Happy Alter said. “Pace makes the race, but she's worked well for the race and is getting better all the time.”
Verve's Tale (Tale of Ekati) makes her first attempt since posting a 20-1 upset in last November's GIII Comely S. at Aqueduct.
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