The promising Pennsylvania-bred filly Dark Nile ran her record to three wins in four starts with a come-from-behind victory in the $50,000 Our Mims Stakes for 3-year-old fillies June 8 at Delaware Park. Video: Our Mims S.
Leased by WinStar Farm and trained by Arnaud Delacour, Dark Nile, by Pioneerof the Nile , dueled with front-running Browse, the favorite in a 10-horse field, for the final eighth-mile, but edged by late to win by three-quarters of a length in the Our Mims at one mile and 70 yards. The stakes is a local prep for the Delaware Oaks (gr. III) in July.
Dark Nile, ridden by Joe Bravo, paid $15.20 to win. Bred by Blackstone Farm out of the Bernardini mare Royal Society, Dark Nile won a Pennsylvania-bred entry-level allowance race May 12 at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, and before that broke her maiden at Tampa Bay Downs in her second start.
It was Dark Nile's third win around two turns; she finished third at six furlongs in her career debut at Tampa Bay.
Dreams to Reality, fourth in the grade II Gazelle Stakes in April, finished third, with Miss Inclusive fourth. Dark Nile covered the distance in 1:44.47 on a track rated fast.
"If she comes back well, we will consider (the Delaware Oaks)," Delacour said. "We have plenty of options with her since she is a Pennsylvania-bred, but the Delaware Oaks would be a nice place to comeback because she likes the track."