Tapit Filly Scores ‘Delightful’ Victory in Monmouth Oaks

Delightful Joy, an impressive debut winner going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream in February, broke through with a career high here. A disappointing sixth as the 6-5 chalk in Keeneland’s GII Adena Springs Beaumont S. Apr. 12, she stumbled at the start and finished a well-beaten third behind the talented duo of Munasara (Bernardini) and So You Say (Flatter) in a live optional claimer at Belmont May 10. Freshened, Delightful Joy returned with a first-level allowance tally over next out Saratoga allowance winner Mei Ling (Empire Maker) in Elmont July 16. Reserved in ninth while trying two turns for the first time here, the chestnut bided her time off moderate early splits of :23.05 and :46.91. She began to advance entering the far turn and came charging after the leaders once swung out for the drive. Delightful Joy inhaled those rivals down the lane and won going away. “I was told to get a good start and see where I was after the break,” winning jockey Paco Lopez said. “I wanted to be comfortable and I tucked in a little behind. I knew that feeling with her from the first time I rode her. I just started to get her going and was looking for a hole. When I asked her, she gave me everything she had. She is a really nice filly.” The talented racemare Graeme Six (Graeme Six) produced a Bernardini colt in 2013; and an Unbridled’s Song colt in 2014. Barren in 2015, she was bred to Strong Mandate this spring.

Saturday, Monmouth Park
MONMOUTH OAKS-GIII, $111,000, MTH, 8-22, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.74, ft.
1–#@DELIGHTFUL JOY, 120, f, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: Graeme Six (GSW & GISP, $338,854), by Graeme Hall
2nd Dam: Polish Ruby, by Polish Pro
3rd Dam: Ruby Wax, by Gallant Romeo
($105,000 2yo ’14 OBSAPR). O-Sheep Pond
Partners, Robert V. LaPenta & Bradley
Thoroughbreds; B-Besilu Stables, LLC (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown; J-Paco Lopez. $60,000. Lifetime Record:
5-3-0-1, $139,200. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
[bullet ad=”gainesway-hip-900-keesep”][bullet ad=”bradley-comerunwithus”][bullet ad=”margaux-freshened”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Eskenformoney, 116, f, 3, Eskendereya–But for
Money, by Not For Love. ($225,000 Ylg ’13
KEESEP). O-StarLadies Racing; B-Ramspring Farm
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $20,000.
[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-hip-141-keesep”]3–White Clover, 118, f, 3, Exchange Rate–Red
Mischief, by Thirty Six Red. O-Calumet Farm;
B-Bluegrass Hall, LLC (KY); T-J. Larry Jones.
$10,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 1. Odds: 3.10, 2.80, 10.10.
Also Ran: Tiger Ride, Curlish Figure, Money’soncharlotte, Love Came to Town, Lady Serena, Catcha Rising Star, High Dollar Woman, Light the City.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.