Explosive Delicate Dynamite Wins Truly Bound

(from track report)
Delicate Dynamite rallied boldly with an explosive mid-stretch move and drew clear for a surprising two-length victory in the $75,000 Truly Bound Handicap Saturday at Fair Grounds Race Course.

The winner, absent from the speed duel involving most of the other fillies and mares in the eight-horse field, took command at the eighth pole and quickly separated herself from the others at odds of 12-1.

Ridden by Gerard Melancon for trainer Tom Amoss, Delicate Dynamite returned $27.60, $11.80 and $5.20 as the second-longest shot in the field. The 4-year-old chestnut daughter of Old Trieste--Majestic Dy, by Dynaformer, covered the 1 1/16-mile distance over the fast main track in 1:46.44.

“We always thought this was a turf filly,” said Amoss. “It took Mother Nature and a race taken off the grass last time to make us realize she’s a filly that can run on dirt, too.”

Delicate Dynamite won that Fair Grounds allowance heat on a sloppy track Dec. 22 by five lengths.

It was the fifth lifetime win from 16 starts for Delicate Dynamite, who increased her career earnings to $188,450 with her first stakes triumph for owners Combustion Racing LLC. Dr. and Mrs. R. Smiser West and Mr. and Mrs. MacKenzie Miller bred Delicate Dynamite, a $25,000 yearling buy at Keeneland in 2004, in Kentucky.

Eyes On Eddy, never far back under Donnie Meche, continued willingly in the late going to gain the place, 3 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Dash of Humor, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. Life’s Great made most of the early fractions of :24.22. :48.09 and 1:13.56 before tiring to finish fifth. Favored Lady Pegasus finished sixth.

Earlier Saturday, Power Surge took command approaching the lane and, despite drifting out sharply, captured the $75,000 Gentilly Stakes for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds by 1 1/2 lengths. The race, originally scheduled for the turf, was switched to the fast main track.

“I think something caught his eye – maybe the Jumbotron screen,” said winning rider Jamie Theriot of the erratic late path taken by Power Surge.  “He went from full of run to goofing around.”

Power Surge, a Holzmeister gelding trained by Bret Calhoun, covered the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:47.60 and paid $6, $2.60 and $2.20, while increasing his lifetime earnings to $149,500 for owner Carl R. Moore Management LLC.  Hallway finished second and Forgotten Princess third. The field reduced to five by a pair of scratches when the Gentilly was transferred from the turf.

(Chart, Equibase)