NEWS
Delightful Kiss rallies to take Hal's Hope
Posted: Saturday, January 03, 2009 5:05 PM
DELIGHTFUL KISS
Bob Coglianese photo
by Mike Curry
Hobeau Farm’s homebred Delightful Kiss uncoiled an explosive closing bid to rally from last to first for a three-length victory in the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Sent off at 5.20-to-1 odds, the five-year-old Kissin Kris gelding got off to a terrible start and dropped more than 16 lengths behind pacesetter Finallymadeit through an opening quarter in :23.80.
Still more than 11 lengths back after a half-mile in 46.51, Delightful Kiss surged into contention with a sweeping move on the turn under Calvin Borel. He closed with an explosive rush in the stretch and surged clear to his fourth career graded stakes win.
"Ah, boy what I can say about this baby. He just kept giving me more and more,” Borel said. “If everything goes well we'll be right back here for the Sunshine [Millions Classic Stakes]. I felt a little pressure down the backstretch [being so far back], but he found another gear coming home. I'll tell you I never lost faith.”
Delightful Kiss, who entered off a runner-up finish in the Clark Handicap (G2) on November 28 at Churchill Downs, completed one mile on a track rated as fast in 1:36.13. He is slated to contest the $1-million Sunshine Millions Classic on January 24 at Gulfstream.
“He was extra sharp today, but I was worried that he was too far back down the backstretch,” winning trainer Pete Anderson said. “He impresses me every day. I told Calvin [Borel] with the million dollar race coming up to keep him in the clear and out of trouble. Well, he ended up almost out in the parking lot when he made his run. Calvin rides this horse with a lot of confidence.”
Bullsbay closed from tenth to finish second in his graded stakes debut for trainer Graham Motion. Famous Patriot, sent off at 65.60-to-1, finished another half-length back in third in the 14-horse field. Multiple Grade 2 winner Anak Nakal was fourth and Grade 1-placed Bribon (Fr) finished tenth as the 3.10-to-1 favorite.
Delightful Kiss improved to seven wins in 23 career starts and boosted his earnings to $882,873.
After a five-race winless stretch last summer, Delightful Kiss regained his winning form with consecutive wins in the Turfway Park Fall Championship Stakes (G3) on September 6 and the All American Stakes (G3) on September 27 at Golden Gate Fields. Prior to his runner-up finish in the Clark, Delightful Kiss finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon on October 25 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
