Second-time starter Delightful Claire (Thousand Words), third in her Churchill Downs debut as the favorite in early June, returned in emphatic fashion Saturday to become the first 'TDN Rising Star' for her young sire at Saratoga.
Beaten just a length in that six-furlong affair behind Princess Proud (Into Mischief) who was a next-out winner facing allowance runners at Ellis by 3 1/4 lengths in July, the 3-1 favorite added an additional furlong to go the one-turn seven-eighths Saturday. One of the first from the blocks, Delightful Claire found herself sandwiched in the middle of a three-wide charge for the lead won by third-time starter Lost and Found (Liam's Map) who pushed on by from against the rail.
Positioned just off that rival's flank through an opening quarter in :22.44, she shadowed her around the turn before she could wait no more and, seemingly under her own power, went right on by to be alone at the top of the lane. $2.3m yearling purchase Metfardeh (Into Mischief) outran her 7-1 odds to come to the head of the second flight but Delightful Claire turned the stretch into a parade route to come home an easy, geared-down winner under Joel Rosario.
Thousand Words, a son of Pioneerof the Nile, did most of his racing out west before retiring to Spendthrift Farm. Delightful Claire is a member of his first crop and one of 52 total winners. Izshelegal, third in the GIII Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar and a half to both Mexican champion older horse Igor (Mex) (Tiznow) and MSW/GISP Comfort (Indian Charlie), has already produced GII Carter Stakes winner Crazy Mason (Coal Front). Her 2-year-old Rowayton filly was a $30,000 RNA at OBS June two months back and that is her last reported foal after she was empty in 2024 and failed to produce a foal on a cover to Pappacap for this year.
5th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-2, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:22.77, ft, 9 1/4 lengths.
DELIGHTFUL CLAIRE, f, 3, Thousand Words
1st Dam: Izshelegal {GSP, $134,840},
by Maria's Mon
2nd Dam: Unkatzable, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Katz Me If You Can, by Storm Cat
Sales History: $65,000 Wlg '22 FTKNOV; $250,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $67,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Rigney Racing LLC; B-Gmbracstables LLC, Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Rangel & Mr. & Mrs. Zachary Mad (KY); T-Philip A. Bauer. *1/2 to Crazy Mason (Coal Front), GSW, $424,470.
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