By Alan Carasso
Delta Prince (Street Cry {Ire}, one of a remarkable six 'TDN Rising Stars' for the wonderful producer Delta Princess (A.P. Indy), became his dam's second Grade I winner at Keeneland, producing a stinging late rally that carried him to an ultimately comfortable victory in Friday's GI Maker's 46 S. His 'Rising Star' half-sister Crown Queen (Street Sense) won the 2014 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.
Away without incident from the three hole, the Stronach homebred looked to have secured a good position covering the well-backed GI Hollywood Derby winner Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), but the latter failed to corner especially well, consigning Delta Prince to a four-wide run around the first bend as defending champ Heart to Heart (English Channel) exchanged blows up front with the positively ridden Great Wide Open (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Delta Prince did not appear to be traveling very well at the rear of the field through the middle stages of the race and he had to be asked for an effort fully three-eighths of a mile from home. Still trailing turning for home, Delta Prince was switched out after following the move of Raging Bull into the stretch and finally found his best stride before running out a good-looking winner.
“He's grown up and matured into a really nice horse,” said winning trainer Jimmy Jerkens, whose last and only other Keeneland stakes win came courtesy of Christmas Kid (Lemon Drop Kid) in the 2007 GI Ashland S. “When [jockey Javier Castellano] swung him out, he looked like he was starting to kick in. But I was really nervous down the backside.”
Delta Prince was making just his 13th trip postward Friday afternoon and celebrated his best season to date at five in 2018, with a breakthrough graded success in the GII King Edward S. before just failing to catch loose-on-the-lead Voodoo Song (English Channel) in the GI Fourstardave H. at Saratoga Aug. 11. An even fourth as the favorite in the GI Woodbine Mile last September, the dark bay was a distant third in the GIII Bold Ruler H. on the Aqueduct main Nov. 2. Ridden by Frankie Dettori in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 26, he made a run from last and hit the front a furlong out before settling for third to Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway). He shipped to California for the GI F.E. Kilroe Mile last month, but was rerouted to the Maker's 46 when the Kilroe was canceled and rescheduled.
Pedigree Notes:
On the eve of Winx's career finale in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. in Sydney, Delta Prince becomes the 21st top-level winner for the much-missed Street Cry (Ire). He is the 25th Grade I winner and one of 98 graded winners produced by a daughter of A.P. Indy. A half-sister to G1SW Biondetti (Bernardini) and a full-sister to Grade I-winning turfer Indy Five Hundred, Delta Princess was the dam of seven winners from as many to race, including Khozan (Distorted Humor) in addition to the four other siblings listed in the mare's produce record above. Three-time champion Royal Delta, purchased by Ben Leon for $8.5 million at Keeneland November in 2011, sadly passed away from complications from foaling a filly by Galileo (Ire) in February 2017. Now named Delta's Royalty (Ire), she is in training in Europe with Roger Varian.
Friday, Keeneland
MAKER'S 46 MILE S.-GI, $300,000, Keeneland, 4-12, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:35.97, gd.
1–DELTA PRINCE, 118, h, 6, by Street Cry (Ire)
1st Dam: Delta Princess (MGSW,$740,918), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Lyphard's Delta, by Lyphard
3rd Dam: Proud Delta, by Delta Judge
1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Stronach Stables; B-Adena Springs (KY);
T-James A. Jerkens; J-Javier Castellano. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 13-5-3-4, $1,173,819. *1/2 to Royal Delta (Empire Maker), Ch. 3yo Filly, 2X Ch. Older Mare, MGISW, $4,811,126; Carnival Court (Street Sense), GISP, $161,662; Crown Queen (Smart Strike), GISW, $593,000; and Empire Way (Empire Maker), GSP, $119,170. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Clyde's Image, 118, g, 5, Get Stormy–Marquetessa, by Marquetry. ($24,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Sullimar Stable; B-Barr Inman (KY); T-Thomas M. Bush. $60,000.
3–Qurbaan, 118, h, 6, Speightstown–Flip Flop (Fr), by Zieten. ($300,000 Wlg '13 KEENOV). O-Shadwell Stable; B-Justin Carthy (KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin. $30,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, HD. Odds: 1.70, 46.10, 4.00.
Also Ran: Raging Bull (Fr), Doctor Mounty, Great Wide Open (Ire), Heart to Heart. Scratched: Hembree.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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