After Royal Delta finished a somewhat dull second in the Personal Ensign Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga, questions were raised about her fitness heading into the Breeders' Cup season. But the four-year-old filly rebounded sharply this afternoon in the $400,000 Beldame Invitational Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park, drawing off powerfully in the homestretch to win by at least ten lengths.
Ridden to victory by Mike Smith, Royal Delta got off to an excellent start at the beginning of the nine-furlong race and quickly took up a tracking position on the outside of It's Tricky. Cash for Clunkers was rating a couple of lengths behind them, while Maristar and Go Unbridled were the early trailers.
Through fractions of :24.09, :46.70, and 1:10.19, It's Tricky continued to lead the way, but Royal Delta began to increase the pressure rounding the turn, and at the five-sixteenths pole she took command of the advantage and left It's Tricky far behind. With Smith just hand-urging her to the finish, Royal Delta extended her lead with every stride, eventually hitting the wire in the good time of 1:48.80 over a track labeled "good."
It's Tricky held second over Go Unbridled, while Maristar and Cash for Clunkers completed the order of finish.
The winner is trained by Bill Mott and owned by Besilu Stables.
-Keelerman
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