To the winner’s circle for Just Great (Photo courtesy of Delaware Park)
Chris Sobocinski/Delaware Park
WILMINGTON, Del.— Team Valor International and Gary Barber’s Just Great won the Delaware-bred or certified $100,300 Small Wonder at Delaware Park today.
With Delaware Park leading rider Jamie Rodriguez aboard, the 2-year-old daughter of Great Notion prevailed by a neck over Old Bay with Charlie Marquez astride. It was another ¾-lengths back to Lucky Cougar, with Robert Halledeen, in third. Super Fabulous, with Daniel Centeno, cut early fractions of :23.04 for the quarter mile and :47.18 for the half mile before fading into fourth. The final time for six furlongs was 1:13.07 over a muddy track.
In her only other career outing, Just Great won the Delaware-bred or certified $50,000 Blue Hen in her debut at Delaware Park on August 31. The Maryland-bred trained by Gary Capuano was certified at Maryln Meadow in Middletown, Delaware. With the Small Wonder, she raised her career earnings to $90,000.
“This race was a little bit more of a test for her,” said winning trainer Phillip Capuano. “She was on the inside most of the way and her first time out, she had the outside and she pretty much had it her way. This time she had to overcome a little more adversity which is a sign of a good horse. We will just see where she goes from here.”
