Favored Nicanor, Barbaro's 4-year-old full brother, led to the sixteenth pole but could not hold off Pickapocket in the off-the-turf Sussex Stakes at rainy Delaware Park July 10 (VIDEO) .
Lael Stables' homebred Nicanor, the 17-10 choice, was seeking his first stakes win for trainer Michael Matz.
The Sussex, worth $97,000, was reduced to a field of four following seven scratches. The 1 1/16-mile event was contested over a sloppy, sealed track. The final time was 1:45.69.
Pickapocket, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., won by 1 3/4 lengths over Bullsbay , who closed late for Jeremy Rose to pip Nicanor and Jose Valdivia Jr. by a head for second. Pickapocket, who carried top weight of 121 pounds, is a Florida homebred owned by Martin Cherry and trained by Steven Margolis.
Nicanor, coming off a 1 1/2-length win in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance race on a firm Delaware turf June 16, was making his second stakes start. The son of Dynaformer—La Ville Rouge, by Carson City, tired to sixth in the Dixie Stakes (gr. II) at Pimlico May 15.
Pickapocket, winning for the sixth time in 29 lifetime starts, paid $7.20 to win and boosted his earnings to $369,689. The 6-year-old gelding is by Mecke—Lady Cerise, by Honor Grades.