Crazy Beautiful towered over her eight rivals on paper and did so for real in Saturday’s $300,500 Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park.
Favored at 3-10 under Mike Smith, Crazy Beautiful rated comfortably in third down the backside before taking the lead under minimal urging turning for home. The gray three-year-old commenced to draw off handsomely for her third graded win of the season, passing the wire six lengths in front.
“She jumped better than she ever has leaving he gate,” Smith said. “It has always been a little bit of a problem with her. I was really happy with that just because of the track being good and because there was not a lot of speed in the race, I wanted to be somewhat closer.
“We had one tiny anxious moment just pass the three-eighths pole when they picked it up and she kind of lost focus briefly. I barely touched her and she threw me into the rumble seat. That is when I knew we would be fine. After that, it was just all her. I took a peak at the big screen and I felt like I was watching Sunday night football.”
Owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III and trained by Kenny McPeek, Crazy Beautiful covered 1 1/16 miles over a good track in 1:46.33 and paid $2.60. Midnight Obsession and Leader of the Band were next under the wire and were followed by Hybrid Eclipse, She’s a Hot Mess, Orbs Baby Girl, Baby Gundin, Juror Number Four, and Exogen.
The Delaware Oaks followed earlier wins in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) in March and the Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita in late May. The daughter of Liam’s Map was a troubled 10th in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in between those two races, and had kicked off the 2021 season with a runner-up placing in the Davona Dale (G2).
A winner of her first two starts last season, including the Debutante S. at Churchill Downs, Crazy Beautiful subsequently placed in the Pocahontas (G3) and Alcibiades (G1) prior to a sixth-place run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Her record now stands at 10-5-3-0, $700,865.
McPeek said before the Delaware Oaks that Crazy Beautiful would ship to Saratoga, where she would eye the Aug. 21 Alabama (G1), with the July 24 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) also possible.
Bred in Kentucky by Carolyn Vogel, Crazy Beautiful sold for $250,000 as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling. She was reared by Indian Burn, a stakes-winning daughter of Indian Charlie.
Kent S. (G3)
Yes This Time earned his fifth consecutive win, and sixth in eight starts, with an off-the-pace rally in the $150,125 Kent S. (G3) for three-year-olds contested over soft turf.
Second choice Like the King set a sedate pace of :25.53, :51.21, and 1:16.32, but couldn’t contain in deep stretch Yes This Time, who drove up the inside to a one-length victory under Joe Bravo.
Owned by Edge Racing and trained by Kelly Breen, Yes This Time paid $4.20 after completing nine furlongs in 1:52.39. Like the King held second by a length over Wootton Asset. Doubleoseven, Eamonn, and Be Here completed the order of finish.
Initially trained by Mike Stidham, Yes This Time broke his maiden for a $30,000 tag in his turf debut at Fair Grounds last December before joining Breen in South Florida. Fourth in his debut for Breen, Yes This Time commenced his current win streak in back-to-back starter allowances, beat allowance foes in April, and entered off a score in the May 8 English Channel S., all at Gulfstream Park. He’s now earned $215,025.
Bred in Kentucky by Barry Golden, Yes This Time is by Not This Time and out of Smart Jilly, a Smart Strike half-sister to Grade 2 scorers Strike a Deal and Pacific Wind.
