R Disaster Tops Rehoboth Stakes

Racing gets underway at Delaware Park. (Hoofprints Inc.)

South American star Kay Army seeks first North America victory in Cape Henlopen

Chris Sobocinski/Delaware Park

WILMINGTON, Del. – Averill Racing, Two Eight Racing and Anthony Mattera’s R Disaster tops a field of nine in the $100,000 Rehoboth Stakes at Delaware Park this Saturday. The six-furlong affair for fillies and mares is the first stake in the Distaff Big Three Sprint Series. The second race in the series is the $125,000 Dashing Beauty Stakes on July 17 and the final race is the $150,000 Endine Stakes on September 27.

R Disaster has never been worse than second in eight career outings.  In her most recent, she finished second in the six and a half furlong $175,000 Grade III Vagrancy at Belmont at Aqueduct on May 4. Previously, the 4-year-old daughter of Awesome Slew finished second in the six and a half furlong $165,000 Grade III Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream Park on March 8. In her only other outing this year, she the won a six-furlong allowance by 3-lengths at Gulfstream Park on January 18.  In 2024, she posted a record of three wins and two seconds from five starts.

After notching her first career victory in a six-furlong $25,000 maiden claiming event last year, James Riccio and Gerard Artz’s Pleasant Embrace is riding a four-race win streak with each successive victory more impressive than the last, but it is what she has done in her last two that has her trainer Kelly Breen encouraged for her first career stake race.

“She had a few issues toward the end of last season, so we gave her a little bit of time and when she came back from that break, she came back much stronger and mature,” her trainer Kelly Breen said.  “Everything about her was bigger, stronger, faster and sharper.  She came back like the Bionic Woman.  Since then, she has just been rolling and she has answered every question we have given so far, so this is as good a time as any to find out if she can take it to another level.”

The 4-year-old daughter of Bucchero completed her 2024 campaign with a record of four wins, a second and a third from seven starts with victories in her last two starts. After being given a four-month break, she won both of her outings in 2025 going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park by a combined margin of 13 1/4-lengths.

$100,000 Rehoboth Stakes

For 3-year-olds & upward, Fillies and mares at six furlongs

South American star Kay Army seeks first North America victory in Cape Henlopen

Ignacio Hurtado and Ignacio Hurtado Jr’s Kay Army will be seeking his first victory in North America when he faces potentially eleven rivals in the mile and a half on the turf $200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park this Saturday. 

After going unbeaten in ten starts in his native Chile, Kay Army ran third beaten 7 3/4-lengths in his stateside debut in the mile and an eighth $200,000 Grade II Fort Marcy Stakes on the Belmont at Aqueduct grass on May 3.  The 5-year-old son of Katami trained by William Mott has a career record of ten wins from eleven starts with earnings of $445,708.

AMO Racing USA’s Sir London will be seeking the upset.  In his only start this year, the 6-year-old son of Malibu Moon ran seventh in a one-mile turf allowance at Laurel Park on May 3.  Last year, the Kentucky-bred posted a record of two wins and two thirds from seven starts including a third in the $100,000 Red Bank at Monmouth Park.  He has a career record of three wins, three seconds and two thirds from 15 starts with earnings of $181,499.

His trainer H. Graham Motion, who has won the Cape Henlopen twice in the 22 renewals with the The Grey Wizard last year and Holiday Star in 2015, is hoping going longer will unlock another level of potential for him.      

“We have been looking forward to this spot for him,” said trainer H. Graham Motion.  “He has been a little bit of a tough horse for us to figure out with what he prefers to do, but we think he will like going longer and there are just not that many opportunities.  He is a galloper and with his breeding, we are hoping the mile and a half on the grass will be his strength.”

2025 LIVE RACING DATES – Racing will be conducted on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday weekly format for most of the meet through October 11.  Live racing will be conducted on Friday on the following dates: June 6, June 13, July 4, July 11, July 18, July 2, August 1, August 8 and August 15.  Live racing is not scheduled on Wednesday, September 17 and Wednesday, September 24.  Daily first race post time is set for 12:35 p.m.  

Beach Day celebrating the tradition of racing and the Delaware beaches is this Saturday.  Stakes and overnight races will be named after famous shore points in the First State.  Plus, a beach towel and carabiner sunblock set giveaway while supplies last and a $10,000 guaranteed Middle Pick 5 pool.

Delaware Derby & Oaks Day is on June 14, Reggae in the Park is slated for June 22, Live Exotic Animal Races will be on July 4, NHC Handicapping Contest will be on July 5 and DelCap weekend is set for September 27^th & 28^th.

$200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes

For 3-year-olds & upward at a mile and a half (Turf)