Evenly-Matched Field Set for Endine Stakes

The 4-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal  has won just twice in 11 career starts, but finished third in the Sugar Swirl and second in the Hurricane Bertie (both gr. III) this winter at Gulfstream Park. Last out, she was fourth to Hilda’s Passion in the March 19 Inside Information (gr. II) at seven furlongs.

Ms Vanenzza broke her maiden in 2009 going two turns in the Blue Hen Stakes at Delaware and as a 3-year-old won an allowance race by nearly seven furlongs at the Endine distance of six furlongs. Jeremy Rose will ride the bay filly for trainer Juan Vazquez. She is owned by Florence Patitucci.

There are no graded stakes winners in the Endine field, but third in the race last year was Mindy Sue, a 5-year-old daughter of Pleasantly Perfect. Mindy Sue has six wins from 14 lifetime starts, including a pair of overnight stakes wins at Delaware. In her last start the chestnut mare won the six-furlong Hoist Her Flag Stakes at Canterbury Park July 31.

Mindy Sue, who will be ridden by Julian Pimentel for trainer Mac Robertson, will break from post 2. She is owned by Joseph Novogratz.

“It just depends on how much the trip in her last race took out of her,” Robertson said. “I could not find a race I liked for her, so I ended up having to ship half way across the country to get a prep. She ran good and got into trouble and still was able to win. It is just hard to say if she will move forward after such a long trip and then a long trip back. She is a quality sprinter and that is why she is in the race, but if she does not run well, I would understand.”

Roberston also entered Class E Holiday for Jer-Mar Stable. The lone 3-year-old in the field, Class E Holiday has won three consecutive starts—all optional claimers at Delaware. Overall, the Harlan's Holiday filly has won five of 10.

“Class E Holiday has just run so well in her races at Delaware Park, so it makes sense,” said Robertson.  “You hate running a 3-year-old against older horses, but she really likes the track being for 4-for-5 at Delaware Park. She won pretty easy her last couple of times, so we got to give her a shot. You know, if the speed hooks up early and my girl comes running late, you never know, we may be able to get her graded stakes placed.”

Another filly in good form is Robert and Lawana Low’s homebred Ha Ha Tonka. The 4-year-old Distorted Humor  filly is coming off an easy win in a July 29 optional claimer at Saratoga as the 9-5 favorite and has four wins in five starts this season. The lightly-raced Ha Ha Tonka didn’t break her maiden until April at Oaklawn Park, but followed with a wire-to-wire entry-level allowance victory at Churchill Downs in May. Four weeks later she also won in front-running fashion, taking the Prairie Rose Stakes in Iowa. Her lone setback came in the Saylorville Stakes June 24 when second.

Ha Ha Tonka will be ridden by Corey Lanerie for Danny Peitz, who takes over training duties for Donnie Von Hemel.

The 3-1 favorite is Farnsworth Stables' Bronx City Girl, winless in her last nine starts. The Yankee Gentleman  filly is nine times stakes placed and enters off a runner-up finish in the July 31 Regret Stakes at Monmouth Park. She was claimed for $50,000 last year.

“She ran strong in her last race at Monmouth,” said  trainer Marty Wolfson. “She got into trouble in her other two starts. She has not won, but she has run well in nearly every start."

Other top contenders include Cosmo Girl, winner of the Carousel Stakes at Oaklawn in March and seventh in the grade I Princes Rooney Handicap last month at Calder; Eve Giselle, winner of the Sweet and Sassy Stakes at Delaware in June; and Sassy City, who has won consecutive optional claimers at Suffolk Downs and Monmouth, and counts an allowance score in 2010 at Delaware as one of her six lifetime scores.

The Endine, the feature of Delaware’s 10-race program, has a probable post time of 4:24 p.m. EDT.

$150,000 Endine Stakes (gr. III, Race 8, 4:24 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 6 Furlongs (Dirt)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, Odds
1. Class E Holiday (KY), A Castellano Jr., 113 M Robertson, 12-1
2. Mindy Sue (KY), J Pimentel, 121, M Robertson, 10-1
3. Love That Dance (NJ), P Fragoso, 121, B W Perkins Jr., 4-1
4. Ms Vanenzza (KY), J Rose, 117, J C Vazquez, 12-1
5. Sassy City (FL), R A Vazquez, 117, J T Botty, 12-1
6. Ha Ha Tonka (KY), C J Lanerie, 121, D C Peitz, 8-1
7. Bronx City Girl (KY), L Saez, 117, M D Wolfson, 3-1
8. Tiz Rising (KY), K Carmouche, 117, S Margolis, 8-1
9. Cosmo Girl (KY), J Rocco Jr., 121, T F Proctor, 6-1
10. Eve Giselle (FL), J Santiago, 121, T F Ritchey, 5-1