Delco Better on a Big Track? (07/23/10)

Posted Friday, July 23, 2010                                    

                                                                        By Mike Paradise

  After watching Delco Willobee rebound with a first-over 1:50.3 victory at Balmoral from his disappointing race as the heavy favorite in the Maywood Pace Final I couldn’t help but wonder if the 3-year-old labeled earlier by many of us as a “half-track specialist” is now a better mile track horse

  “Delco Willobee has had three starts on the big track and he hasn’t paced any slower than 1:51.3. But I think he’s just as good on the half,” replied his driver John De Long. 

  “I know he made a mistake at Maywood in that big race and I think that night he could have won in 51 and a piece there. I really don’t know why he made that break. I think it might have been a speed break. Maybe he just over-paced himself a little bit. I was basically just sitting on him in the last turn, just kind of biding my time, and then it happen.
 
  “But the thing that I think makes Delco Willobee so good on a half is that he can come first over and can punish horses. That’s what he does on a half, he punishes them.”

  Delco Willobee comes into Saturday’s Incredible Finale eliminations off an impressive first up 1:50.3 victory in the July 10 Hothead stake at Balmoral. In his big track debut the homebred 3-year-old won his Cardinal elimination there in late May with a 1:51 flat by six lengths (:25.4 last quarter) and raced first over. He then was third to Power Of A Moment and Iam Bonsera in the $56,700 final on June 5 when he was again first to pull.
 
  “In his last race at Balmoral I really didn’t want to pull out of third but that was what was handed to me.,” continued John. “I left with him more than I ever had. I’m trying to get him out of the gate more so he can get himself in position so he doesn’t have to come first over all the time. Otherwise I’m ducking him and hoping for cover but everybody knows him and they want his cover.

  “Delco raced awesome and without much urging. I hit the wheel disks him a couple of times. He really likes to do it on his own. You really don’t have to get after him. I got after him a little in the Cardinal but I don’t think I was going to get by Power Of A Moment that night because he just had too much of a jump on me.
 
  “Delco Willobee has always been taught to be a stone-cold closer and he’s a fighter,

  “I really don’t know what happen him to Maywood in the Final but I guess that’s why we all love horse racing. You just never know what’s going to happen.”

   Amen to that John.
  
  Delco Willobee drew into the second (12th race) Incredible Finale elimination and will open up as the 5-2 second choice from post seven, just outside of the favorite Iam Bonsera (2-1, Dave Magee) who paced his last three miles all under 1:50. The Erv Miller trainee was second in 1:49.4 in the Meadowlands Pace Consolation after a 1:48.3 clocking in his fifth place finish in his elimination. Iam Bonsera was third in 1:49.1 in his North America Cup Consolation earlier. 

 To view Archived Notes and Quotes click here.   

 County Fair Report 

EDGAR COUNTY FAIR AT PARIS

Wednesday, July 21 Results (First Card)

FIRST: Big 10 Two-Year-Old Pace, Purse $3,664:
Winner (Driver)   Time (Track Good)
Madoff (Randall Finn)   2:04.2
Trainer: Randall Finn. Owner: Rex Sigler and Shirley Finn.

SECOND: Big 10 Two-Year-Old Pace, Purse $3,664:
Fox Valley Sienna (David Avanetti)  2:06.1
Trainer: David Avanetti. Owner: David Avenatti and Orien Brown.

THIRD: NW $5,000 Lifetime, Pace, Purse $750:
Frontier Belle (Harold Finn Jr.)  2:07.2
Trainer: Harold Finn Jr. Owner: Mack McCrillis.

FOURTH: NW $5,000 Lifetime, Pace, Purse $750:
Incredible Blake (Randall Finn)  2:07.2
Trainer: Randall Finn.  Owner: Edward Miller.

FIFTH: NW $5,000 Lifetime, Pace, Purse $750:
Richard Traci (Terry Skinner)  2:07.1
Trainer: Dane May. Owner: Dane May.

SIXTH: NW $5,000 Lifetime, Trot, Purse $750:
Tometta Byrd (Darla Martin)   2:07.4
Trainer: Joan Brown. Owner: David and Joan Brown.

SEVENTH: NW $5,000 Lifetime, Trot, Purse $750:
Call Me Al (Harold Caughran)  2:13
Trainer: Cathy Finn-Kanitz. Owner: Adele Everett and Harold Caughran.

Wednesday, July 21 Results (Second Card)

FIRST: Big 10 Two-Year-Old Trot, 1st Div, Purse $1,723:
Winner (Driver)    Time (Track Good)
Ima High Flyer (Jared Finn)   2:09.3
Trainer: J D Finn. Owner: Mary Jeffers.

SECOND: Big 10 Two-Year-Old Trot, 2nd Div, Purse $1,723:
Pax (Tom Graham Jr.)    2:11.3
Trainer: Tom Graham Jr. Owner: Tom Graham and Tom Graham Jr.

THIRD: FIRST: Big 10 Three-Year-Old Pace, Purse $2,837:
Nice Big Star (Terry Skinner)   2:04
Trainer: Ray Hanna. Owner: Mary Jeffers.

FOURTH: Free For All Trot, Purse $750:
Lane’s Game (J D Finn)   2:05.3
Trainer: J D Finn. Owner: Mary Jeffers.

FIFTH:  Free For All Pace, Purse $750:
Danny Zocco (Marcus Turner)  2:08.1
Trainer: Roshun Trigg. Owner: World Class Racing.

MACOUPIN COUNTY FAIR AT CARLINSVILLE FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY CANCELLED.

 TUESDAY’S PROGRAM AT FARMER CITY CANCELLED.