Ebony Breeze Blows Past Endine Rivals

Kinsman Stable's Ebony Breeze demonstrated a powerful closing kick to cruise to victory in the $200,000 Endine Handicap (gr. III) for fillies and mares sprinting at Delaware Park Saturday.

Ridden by Herberto Castilllo Jr., the 4-year-old daughter of Belong to Me closed from last to first for a widening three-length triumph. Umpateedle, with Jeremy Rose aboard, finished second and it was another 2 3/4 lengths farther back to Bronze Abe, with Mario Pino astride, in third.

Ebony Breeze closed off of very quick early fractions set by Electrical Carlita of :21.64 for the quarter mile and :44.53 for the half. But Electrical Carlita had nothing left for the drive as Ebony Breeze won in 1:09.73 for the six furlongs over a fast main track.

The Kentucky-bred trained by Bill Mott returned $3.60 as the heavy favorite in the field of five. She raised her career record to seven wins from 19 starts with earnings $648,000.

"This is a nice filly and Bill (Mott) has done a wonderful job with her," said winning jockey Herberto Castillo Jr. "On her game, she is as good a sprinter as any other filly I have seen going three quarters. The race today really worked out well. We had a nice honest pace in front of us and we picked up the pieces at the end."

(Chart, Equibase)