Fleet Indian Seeks Sixth Straight Win in Delaware Handicap

Edited Delaware Park release
Paul Saylor's Fleet Indian will try to extend her current winning streak to six in the $1,000,000 grade II Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park this Sunday. The 1 1/4-mile test for fillies and mares has attracted a field of 10.

In her last effort, the 5-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie notched a 7 3/4-length score in the 1 1/8-mile, $100,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park on June 17. Previously, the New York-bred trained by Todd Pletcher won the 1 1/8-mile. $250,000. grade III Sixty Sails Handicap at Hawthorne Park by 12 ½-lengths on April 22. She has a career record of ten wins and a third from 15 starts with earnings of $504,513. A victory in the Delaware Handicap, worth $600,000 for first-place, would more than double her career earnings.

"I know that when Jimmy Toner had her before she was sold in the January sale that they thought a lot of her," said trainer Pletcher. "I know her race record was not quite good before we got her, but it seems like she has matured well and she appreciates the two turn mile and an eighth race and hopefully a two turn mile and a quarter. You never know until you try, but certainly from watching her mile and an eighth races, she has always finished very well and you would think it should not be a problem. We needed her to run somewhere and we knew we were focused on the Delaware Handicap, so we felt like running her in the Obeah was a much better alternative then maybe running her at a mile and a sixteenth around one turn here at Belmont. We get a race over the track and hopefully set her up well for the Delaware Handicap. She is training well. She is pretty straight forward. We do not try to anything fancy with her. We just try to keep her happy and so she has had a few nice maintenance breezes and everything looks on schedule."

WinStar Farm and Ronald Kirby's La Reason rates as the second choice. In her last, the 6-year-old daughter of Labeeb ran fourth in the 1 1/18-mile, $300,000 grade II Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs on June 17. Previously, the Kentucky-bred trained by Todd Pletcher ran second in the $300,000, grade II Lousiville Breeders' Cup Handicap at Churchill Downs on May 5She sports a record of nine wins, five seconds, and six thirds from 40 starts with earnings of $815,418.

"We think the distance should suit her very well," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "She is a very consistent hard knocking mare and horses get tired sometimes going that far, but the last eighth of mile she should still be running."

Field for the Delaware Handicap:
Post position -- Horse, trainer, jockey, Odds
1--Fleet Indian, Todd Pletcher, Jose Santos, 112, 3/2,
2--Gallant Secret, James Jackson, Jeremy Rose, 114, 8-1,
3--La Reason, Todd Pletcher, Garrett Gomez, 115, 7/2,
4--Friel's for Real, Edward Allard, Stewart Elliott, 115, 8-1,
5 (a)--Dynamic Deputy, Richard Small, Luis Garcia, 113, 6-1,
6 (a)--Sticky, Richard Small, Jose Velez Jr, 114, 6-1
7--Grant's Moon, Donnovan Haughton, TBA, 111, 15-1,
8 (a)--Take a Check, Richard Small, Mario Pino, 114, 6-1,
9--Cardmandia, Richard Dutrow Jr., TBA, 114, 8-1,
10--Fin, H. Graham Motion, Ramon Dominguez, 112, 12-1,
(a) - Fitzhugh LLC entry