Delaware Handicap increased to $1 million

Delaware Park begins its 135-day meet on Saturday with a post of

12:45 p.m. (ET), and the Wilmington, Delaware, track will feature a stakes

schedule worth more than $4.8 million, highlighted by the $1 million Delaware H.

(G2) on July 17. The 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares is now the second-richest dirt race for distaffers in North America.

Live racing will be held Saturday-Tuesday through May 24, when Wednesdays

will be added. Delaware Park will revert back to the four-day calendar from

August 2-August 30, and then resume the Saturday-Wednesday schedule until

closing on November 13.

Last year's meet featured performances from 2005 Kentucky Derby (G1) hopefuls

AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet), BELLAMY ROAD (Concerto), HIGH LIMIT (Maria's Mon)

and CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal). Eclipse Award-winning Todd Pletcher,

the leading trainer at both Keeneland and Gulfstream Park this year, will have a

string of horses at the historic track this meet as well as fellow conditioners

Scott Lake, Tim Ritchey, Michael Pino, Michael Gorham, Howard Wolfendale and

John Zimmerman.

Other big events on the Delaware Park stakes schedule include the $500,000

Kent Breeders' Cup (G3) on June 25, $500,000 Delaware Oaks (G2) and $300,000

Robert G. Dick Memorial on July 16, and the $300,000 Leonard Richards (G3) on the

following afternoon.