By J.N. Campbell
Making money moves down the lane, Dazzling Move lived up to her name as she took the GIII Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
The filly tried stakes company a half-dozen times last year under trainer Michael Trombetta, but Dazzling Move was unable to break through. Her best placing came when she was the runner-up in the Pumpkin Pie Stakes during the Belmont At The Big A meet in early November. The dark bay was last seen finishing off the board in the Rampart Stakes in Hallandale Dec. 26. Afterwards, she was privately purchased and sent to Saffie Joseph's shedrow.
Never attempting anything over a mile and off as a 7-2 shot here, the first-time graded stakes runner was a distant third heading into the first turn. Favorite Grand Job–undefeated in a pair of U.S. starts after coming over from Ireland and trying two turns for the first time–looked to steal the race by carving out fractions of :22.81 for the initial quarter-mile and :46.21 for the first half-mile. Up the backstretch, Dazzling Move began to steadily cut into the lead and under Dylan Davis she positioned herself to make a run at the pacesetter by the top of the lane. The Joseph trainee caught up to Grand Job, wore her opponent down by the sixteenth marker and sealed the deal with a beautiful display of stamina.
“This is big,” said trainer Saffie Joseph. “To already win a Grade III on the dirt, everything else is a bonus now. There was no plan after this, basically. We'll try to keep her two turns and go from there.”
Pedigree Notes:
Dazzling Move handed Not This Time (by Giant's Causeway) his 21st graded stakes win. A half-sister to MSW Angel Trumpet (Cape Canaveral), who produced SW & GISP Seven Trumpets (Morning Line), Lady Liam is responsible for an unraced 3-year-old filly named Theladyisageneral (Army Mule)–her last registered foal on record. The winner's dam was entered in Malibu Max's book for this spring.
#7 DAZZLING MOVE ($9.20), by @TMStallions Not This Time, won the $165,000 Royal Delta Stakes (G3) at @GulfstreamPark under @DavisJockey. @SaffieJosephJr trains the Miller Racing runner. pic.twitter.com/QmsU4B8v2R
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 15, 2025
Saturday, Gulfstream
ROYAL DELTA S.-GIII, $150,000, Gulfstream, 2-15, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 1:45.08, ft.
1–DAZZLING MOVE, 118, f, 4, by Not This Time
1st Dam: Lady Liam, by Saint Liam
2nd Dam: Tricki Mae, by Phone Trick
3rd Dam: Pamela Kay, by Hold Your Peace
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($85,000
RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $135,000 2yo '23 EASMAY). O-Miller
Racing LLC; B-Jesse Korona (ON); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Dylan
Davis. $88,350. Lifetime Record: 15-4-1-1, $258,547. Werk
Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Grand Job, 118, f, 4, Justify–Sure Route (GB), by Ishiguru.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($105,000 Ylg '22
KEESEP). O-Bell Tower Thoroughbreds and Medallion Racing;
B-Fullbury (KY); T-William I. Mott. $28,500.
3–Autumn Evening, 120, f, 4, Malibu Moon–Lucky Long,
by Lookin At Lucky. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($135,000 2yo
'23 OBSAPR). O-P and G Stable; B-Stoneriggs Farm (KY); T-Todd
Pletcher. $14,250.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 4HF. Odds: 3.60, 0.90, 10.20.
Also Ran: Miss New York, Riding Pretty, Neon Icon, Libban, Foreseen, American Retro, Intrepid Daydream. Scratched: Dream Concert.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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