Whiskey Decision on cruise control in the Christiana. (Hoofprints, Inc. Photo)
Delaware Park Racing News & Notes
WILMINGTON, Del. – Frederick Hertrich III and John D. Fielding’s Whiskey Decision cruised to an easy score in the $150,500 Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park today.
With Javier Castellano aboard, the 3-year-old daughter of Into Mischief won by 2 ¾-lengths and returned $2.40 as the favorite in the field of nine. Belle of Rights, with Forest Boyce, ran second. It was another 1 ½-lengths farther back to Style Points, with Jose Ortiz, in third.
Whiskey Decision covered the mile and an eighth over a firm turf course in 1:49.23.
“It took her a little while to come along last year,” said winning trainer Arnaud Delacour. “We liked her, but she had a few things and needed to grow and have time. She has been stepping up race after a race and doing a good job. I could see she was little bit nervous in the gate today and she was shaking her head and stuff, so she got a little bit of a slow break, but going a mile and an eighth, you have plenty of time to work those things out. You know as they say, ‘good horses overcome those kinds of issues.’ When I saw they went they half in almost :49 on a day like today, I thought we were in good shape. When he asked her, she kicked away.”
Delacour has two spots in mind for her next start, but he is remaining to be patient.
“We do not know exactly, but with a filly like her the program is fairly simple,” he said. “Right now, we either have the Lake Placid at Saratoga or the Del Mar Oaks, those would be the logical spots, but we are going to give her plenty of time. Of course, running in those races is up to her. She needs to comeback well, but one step at a time. Today was a big step and she did it bravely.”
She raised her career record to three wins from four starts with earnings of $207,262.
