2011 Delaware Handicap: Horse Racing Odds & Picks

Written by Deborah Nicks
Tuesday, 12 July 2011 23:52

Horse racing odds are out and predictions are ready in this weekend’s 2011 Delaware Handicap.

The 10-furlong Delaware Handicap has a top-end field of fillies, and we’ll do our best to tell you which of the entries is taking home the largest chunk of the $750,000 purse.  The dirt race for 3-years-old and up lady runners only has 5 horses, but 3 of the 5 are considered to be amongst the best in the world which adds a ton of intrigue into this Delaware Park race.  Although there are still a few days left until post time of the July 16th Delaware Handicap, it is never too early to figure out which horse is likely to come out on top.

2011 Delaware Handicap Post Positions, Horse, Odds, and Thoughts:

1 – Life At Ten @ 5-1

Last year’s Delaware Handicap winner is back for another try, but she hasn’t been achieving the same level of success as when she came into this race last year.  Since starting the 2011 season, Life At Ten has finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th is her 3 goes.  This horse has a win over 2007 Delaware Handicap winner Unbridled Belle and the only reason I added that in is because that was the horse that upset the two favorites here during the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.

2 – Thundering Emilia @ 20-1

The import from Peru has been lightly raced since coming over to the United States, but did finish 2nd at the John W. Rooney Memorial at Delaware Park less than a month ago.  Although the skilll is at a high level in this race, you have to like the fact that this horse was sired by near-Triple Crown winner Thunder Gulch.  Depending on the pace, we could see an upset.

3 – Havre de Grace @ 4-5

Although she has had a back-and-forth battle with Blind Luck over the last couple of years, Havre de Grace may finally be hitting her stride after beating her adversary in both the Azeri Stakes and the Fitz Dixon Cotillion in two of their most recent clashes.  The Delaware Handicap favorite has won her last 3 overall and has never finished worse than 3rd in 11 career races.

4 - Love’s Blush @ 20-1

This long shot hasn’t raced in close to a year and has never won a race in 4 tries.  She went up against Life At Ten in the 2009 Snit, finishing 4th.  Although she does have two top-3 finishes, the level of competition in those attempts simply wasn’t as strong as the 2011 Delaware Handicap field.  There is definitely some potential to improve, but Love’s Blush will ultimately be most helpful as she pushes Havre de Grace and Life At Ten in the pace scenario.

5 – Blind Luck @ 7-5

Having never finished out of the trifecta through 20 career races, Blind Luck is not a horse you can forget about just because of her recent head-to-head losses with Havre de Grace.  This horse has beat the race favorite on numerous occasions previously and is coming off 2 straight wins in 2011 after coming up 2nd in  5 straight.

2011 Delaware Handicap Horse Racing Picks:

I expect the pace to be hot here with Life At Ten, Havre de Grace, and Love’s Blush setting some quick early fractions.  Blind Luck should be able to sit back and come strong in the late furlongs, and in a 5-horse field I don’t expect her to run into much traffic.  Although Havre de Grace would be much easier to beat if the race were a tad longer, ultimately Blind Luck provides the best value here because of that hot pace.  Life At Ten might bounce back, but if the form doesn’t take a big step up than I think she might be on the outside looking in if the other quick runners fatigue her.  I say go with Blind Luck to win while throwing Thundering Emilia into a trifecta box with Havre de Grace to improve the payout.