Stronach Stables' homebred Delta Prince, a 3-year-old maiden and half brother to three-time Eclipse Award winner Royal Delta and grade I winner Crown Queen, made his third start a winning one in Gulfstream Park's eighth race Dec. 26 for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. Video: Race 8 (MSW) at GP on 12/26/16
The mile turf event marked the son of Street Cry's grass debut. His dam, the late Delta Princess, was a graded stakes winner on turf.
Delta Prince, racing with Lasix for the first time, drew away in the stretch under mild urging from jockey Antonio Gallardo to win by four lengths.
"A dirt race in New York didn't go and this (was) the first maiden race for him since we got to Florida," Jerkens said. "His mother (liked) turf and he worked nice on it. I just wanted to get him going. Too much time between starts makes it hard to develop a horse."
Delta Prince finished second Nov. 12 at Aqueduct Racetrack in a one-turn-mile contest, after finishing third in his debut at 6 1/2 furlongs on the Belmont Park main track.
"He ran really green the first time," Jerkens said. "I think the jockey may have tried to overdo it by rating him and he spit the bit out all together and then he came on a little bit at the end. The next start he ran good; he just hung a little bit."
On Monday, Delta Prince broke alertly from the starting gate and pressed the pace while racing comfortably in hand. After closely attending pacesetter Mutazen into the stretch run of the mile turf race, the colt drew away to a convincing triumph in 1:35.01 on a firm turf course. Notion Secret closed to finish second, a neck ahead of Mutazen.
"There's some turf in his pedigree," said Michael Doyle, Stronach Stables' racing manager. "It looks like it's just a little bit easier for him. He just seems to move well on it. He was going very well. He showed a nice turn of foot on it."
