Delaware Park. For fillies, three-years olds (1 1/16 miles, dirt).
Winner: FONDLY (USA, 22, bay filly, by Upstart out of Lifetime Memory, by Istan). Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer: H. Graham Motion. Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables LLC. Breeder: Brereton C. Jones (KY). Time: 1:45.61.
On Saturday, June 14 at Delaware Park, Fondly delivered a commanding wire-to-wire performance to capture the $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3), rebounding from an 11th-place finish in the slop of the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The Upstart filly, bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones, showed no ill effects from her first career loss and bounced back impressively. Ridden by five-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr., Fondly recovered from a slight bobble at the break, then dictated slow early fractions (:23.53, :49.64, 1:14.66) that left her rivals flat-footed. When asked at the eighth pole, she kicked clear effortlessly to win by three lengths, stopping the clock in 1:45.61 for 1 1/16 miles. It marked her second stakes victory following her win in the Virginia Oaks in March. Now with three wins from four starts and earnings of $339,200, Fondly continues to fulfill the expectations of trainer Graham Motion, who noted she trained beautifully in the weeks leading up to the race. She races for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables, who purchased her for $50,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale.
Este sábado 14 de junio en Delaware Park, la potranca Fondly se reivindicó con autoridad al imponerse de punta a punta en el Delaware Oaks (G3), con premio de $300,000. Tras su inesperado undécimo lugar en la pista fangosa del Kentucky Oaks (G1), la hija de Upstart criada en Kentucky por Brereton Jones mostró su verdadera capacidad. Conducida por Irad Ortiz Jr., cinco veces ganador del premio Eclipse, Fondly asumió el mando pese a un leve tropiezo en la partida y administró parciales controlados (:23.53, :49.64, 1:14.66) que adormecieron al lote. En la recta final, respondió con contundencia para cruzar la meta con tres cuerpos de ventaja, marcando 1:45.61 para los 1.700 metros. Fue su segundo triunfo selectivo tras ganar el Virginia Oaks en marzo, elevando su récord a tres victorias en cuatro salidas y ganancias de $339,200. Su entrenador Graham Motion destacó que, pese al revés en Churchill Downs, Fondly se mantuvo firme en sus entrenamientos y reafirmó el potencial que siempre le vieron. Representa los colores de Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners y Madaket Stables, quienes la adquirieron por $50,000 en la subasta de otoño de Fasig-Tipton 2023.
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