Delta Princess Tops Mint Julep Field

Delta Princess, who won the Endeavor Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in February, tops a field of seven fillies and mares slated for Saturday's Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Bill Mott, the 6-year-old daughter of A.P. Indy, owned by Saud Khaled, will carry highweight of 117 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile turf event. Delta Princess will enter the Mint Julep off a runner-up effort behind Intercontinental in the April 17 Jenny Wiley Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland.

Saturday's race is the mare's third start of 2005, after closing 2004 with one stakes win on turf in the Navajo Princess at Meadowlands.
Bred in Kentucky by Palides Investments, Delta Princess will break from the outside with jockey Robby Albarado.

Andrena Van Doren's homebred Shaconage will be seeking her first victory of 2005. Trained by Mitch Shirota, the 5-year-old daughter of El Prado won two of the three turf events for older fillies and mares at Churchill's 2004 spring meet, and will try to take the one race that escaped her a year ago.

The mare placed fifth in last year's Mint Julep, a loss that was sandwiched between victories in the Argent Mortgage Distaff Turf Mile (gr. IIIT) and Locust Grove (gr. IIIT). Shaconage has failed to win in eight races since the Locust Grove. The Kentucky-bred finished sixth in the Breeders' Cup Fillies & Mare Turf (gr. I) at Lone Star Park last October, and has placed third in three starts this year, most recently the Distaff Turf Mile (gr. III) on Kentucky Derby day.

Shaconage will break from post six. This year's Derby winning jockey, Mike Smith, has the mount.

Cape Town Lass, trained by Paul McGee, comes to Churchill off a runner-up effort behind Angara in the April 27 Bewitch Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland. McGee's horses at Churchill Downs have been in quarantine since May 18 because of the threat of equine herpesvirus. His horses have been taking part in separate training sessions since May 23.

The 4-year-old daughter of Horse Chestnut, owned by Ralls and Foster and bred by Kings Way Farm, will be seeking her first stakes victory. Cape Town Lass will break from the middle under jockey Eddie Martin Jr.

$100,000 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT), 1 1/16 miles, Churchill Downs, June 4, 3-year-old and up fillies and mares, estimated local post time: 5:24 p.m.

Post –Horse, Weight, Jockey
1 -- Dynamic Cat, 112, Pat Day
2 -- Erhu, 112, Willie Martinez
3 -- Pretty Jane, 115, John McKee
4 -- Cape Town Lass, 114, Eddie Martin, Jr.
5 -- Sparkling Humor, 112, Mark Guidry
6 –- Shaconage, 116, Mike Smith
7 -- Delta Princess, 117, Robby Albarado