The Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Delaware Park July 9 could be the perfect opportunity for She Be Classy to step up in class.
She Be Classy will face an international field of 11 other rivals in the 1 3/8-mile turf contest for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. Approximate post time for the $200,000 Robert Dick Memorial, the seventh race on the card, is 3:57 p.m.
She Be Classy, a daughter of Toccet—Narjis Flower, by Pleasant Colony, has an advantage over some of her foes in that she is already familiar with Delaware, where she won the June 18 John W. Rooney Memorial Stakes last out in her black-type debut. Trained by H. Graham Motion for Nancy Mazzoni, the 4-year-old bay filly is also proven on turf, over which she prevailed by a neck in an allowance optional claimer at Pimlico one start prior to the Rooney Memorial May 1.
She Be Classy, who has won or placed in half of her 20 starts, drew the outside 12 post position in the Robert Dick Memorial and will be ridden by jockey Sheldon Russell. A $20,000 Keeneland November breeding stock sale purchase, She Be Classy was bred in Kentucky by Mike and Nancy Mazzoni.
Looking to return to her winning form is Perfect Shirl, the only graded stakes winner in the field. The 4-year-old daughter of Perfect Soul —Lady Shirl, by That's a Nice, captured the 2010 Lake George Stakes (gr. IIT) at Saratoga, but has been unable to score a win since in four starts.
Trained by Roger Attfield, Perfect Shirl was most recently third in an allowance optional claimer at Churchill Downs May 7. The Charles Fipke Kentucky homebred has been training steadily at Woodbine since that effort and posted a bullet work at the Canada track June 29, covering five furlongs in :59.20.
Perfect Shirl, who has a record of 3-1-3 from 10 starts, will break from the rail. Jockey Eurico Da Silva will be aboard for her first trip over the Delaware turf.
Of the five foreign fillies in the field, Brazilian-bred Bubbly Jane may pose the biggest threat if she can return well from nearly a 14-month layoff.
The Haras Interlargos homebred is a two-time group I winner in her native country. Scoring both of those victories in 2008, Bubbly Jane also won in her initial start on United States soil when she prevailed by a nose in the 2009 Donor Stakes at Belmont Park. The filly, who additionally captured that year’s Possible Mate Stakes at the New York track, has not raced since her third-place effort in the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT) in May 2010.
Bubbly Jane most recently worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 at Monmouth Park July 3. Kent Desormeaux will ride for the first time for trainer Paulo Lobo.
Also in the field are English stakes winners Dyna Waltz and Cheetah, both of whom were graded stakes-placed in their most recent starts; other graded/group-placed runners Honimier, Kilmore Quay, and Freedom Rings; and Delaware stakes-placed runners Millennia and Ainamaa.
$200,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (gr. III, race 7, 3:57 p.m. EDT), fillies and mares, 3 years old and up, 1 3/8 miles (turf)
Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Perfect Shirl (KY), E R Da Silva, 117, R L Attfield
2. Media Madness (KY), J Rose, 117, H G Motion
3. Bubbly Jane (BRZ), K J Desormeaux, 177, T A Pletcher
4. Ainamaa (KY), A Castellano Jr., 117, G A Griffith
5. Riviera Chic (KY), M J Luzzi, 117, M J Maker
6. Freedom Rings (NY), No Rider, 117, D G Donk
7. Kilmore Quay (IRE), G Saez, 117, C Clement
8. Honimiere (IRE), J Rocco Jr., 117, R L Attfield
9. Cheetah (GB), L Lezcano, 117, C Clement
10. Dyna Waltz (GB), R Napravnik, 117, J E Sheppard
11. Millennia (FL), J C Caraballo, 117, B Tagg
12. She Be Classy, S Russell, 117, H G Motion
