by Tom De Martini

Hystericalady scored her second consecutive Grade 2 win and third graded stakes win of the year in convincing fashion on Sunday when kicking clear from runner-up Lemon Drop Mom to land the $1,000,900 Delaware Handicap (G2) by four lengths.

The five-year-old Distorted Humor mare, owned by the partnership of Rancho San Miguel Farms, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, and George Todaro, rated 1 1/2 lengths behind Lemon Drop Mom through one mile 1:36.98.

Jockey Garrett Gomez roused Hystericalady left-handed and she responded with a powerful kick to cross the wire in 2:02.37 for 1 1/4 miles on a fast track as the 2.50-to-1 second wagering choice.

Team Valor’s Unbridled Belle, the 2007 Delaware Handicap winner, could only muster a late rally to finish third as the 2-to-1 favorite.

The Delaware Handicap is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series and assures Hystericalady an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park on October 24. Hystericalady finished second, a neck behind Ginger Punch, in last year’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Monmouth Park.

Hystericalady entered off a 7 1/2-length score in the Fleur de Lis Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 14.

“She put two great back-to-back races together,” Hollendorfer said. “I was concerned about a mile-and-a-quarter but George, [co-owner] Tom Clark, and I talked it over and we thought we had to be here to run on the dirt and for the big purse. We thought she could do it.”

Gomez also had the distance question in the back of his mind and formulated his own strategy.

“Her last race, she went a mile-and-an-eighth and she was getting stronger as the race was going on. So I started kicking her just like last time and went ahead and went after the horse on the lead. I let her make the lead and when we turned for home, she hit another gear,” Gomez said.

Todd Pletcher, trainer of Unbridled Belle, said the five-year-old Broken Vow mare became hot in the paddock before the race and never fired her best shot.

The 71st edition of the Delaware Handicap, worth $600,000 to the winner, was Hystericalady’s tenth victory in 20 starts and boosted her lifetime bankroll to $2,110,556. She is out of the Northair mare Sacramentada (Chi).

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Tom De Martini is a New Jersey-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent