Shadwell Stable's Mus-If, a winner of four straight before running second in the grade III New Hampshire Sweepstakes in his last, tops the Sussex Handicap to be run at Delaware Park this Saturday. The 1 1/8-mile turf event for 3-year-olds and upward has attracted a field of eleven.Previous to the New Hampshire Sweepstakes, the 6-year-old son of Lahib had won four in a row including a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance at Fair Grounds on March 11, a 1 1/8 mile turf allowance at Keeneland on April 12, the $50,000 Henry Clark going a mile over the Pimlico turf course on May 4, and the $50,000 Ed Obrien Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on the Pimlico turf course on May 27. The Great Britain-bred trained by Michael Pino sports a career record of six wins, six seconds and a third from 18 outings with career earnings of $390,128.
R. D. Hubbard's Sardaukar rates as the second choice. The 6-year-old son of Royal Academy notched a 1 3/4-length triumph in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance at Delaware Park in his latest on June 25. Previously, the Great Britain-bred trained by Alan Goldberg ran second beaten a length in the one mile $100,000 Grade III Red Bank Handicap at Monmouth Park on May 25. He has a career record of seven wins, five seconds, and two thirds from 30 outings with earnings of $359,677.