Delaney Hanover soared off a covered outside trip from off the speed for a comfortable 1:50.1 victory in the 60th renewal of the $416,667 Kentucky Filly Futurity, a Grade 1 stakes sponsored by Crawford Farms, on Sunday, Oct. 5 at The Red Mile.

Leaving from post three, driver Scott Zeron settled Lucas Wallin trainee Delaney Hanover in sixth through a tepid :28.1 first quarter cut by Deja Blu (Yannick Gingras), but Zeron soon fished cover for an outside bid from Champagne Problems (Jason Bartlett) out of fifth. Miss Belmar (Andy McCarthy) then pulled out of third and looped past Deja Blu to take over the lead heading to a :55.1 half.

Champagne Problems led the outside tier into the last turn, but stalled on the approach to three-quarters in 1:22.4. Zeron fanned off cover spinning for home as Deja Blu pounced out of the pocket to hit the front and Miss Belmar broke stride. Delaney Hanover uncorked a furious rally down the outside under minimal encouragement and glided home while chased by closer R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) to register a 1-3/4-length win. Stash Some Cash (Dexter Dunn) also swooped by tiring rivals late to take third while Deja Blu settled for fourth.

“She really thanked me for that [trip] and when I fanned her three-wide she was game,” said Zeron after the race. “I thought trying to replicate that trip from last week [in the Bluegrass Stakes] was near impossible and would’ve done too much damage early on. I was happy where I got away, and Champagne Problems is a nice horse to follow, and I obviously trust my horse to make up a little ground late.”

A filly by Muscle Hill out of the Cantab Hall mare Danielle Hanover, Delaney Hanover earned her fourth win from nine starts this season and her sixth victory from 16 starts in her career. She has now earned more than $700,000.

“She had some issues last year, but this is what we waited for – this is why she’s only had 16 starts with this race,” said Andrew Steinberg, who co-owns Delaney Hanover through the Chester, New Jersey-based Shermay Stables with Wiesman Farms of Middle River, Maryland and Wallin Racing Stable of New Egypt, New Jersey. “Because she’s class, we didn’t want to push her. And she’s dominated. I am on cloud nine and I cannot wait to be in Canada [for the Breeders Crown] soon.”

“From the beginning, she never really took a bad step, ever,” said Wallin of the filly bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. “She has heart, she has brains, she has gait, she has speed, she has everything.”

Sent off as the even-money favourite, Delaney Hanover paid $4 to win.

Earlier in the day, Zeron and Wallin also teamed up for a 1:50.4 win with C Me B Me in the $34,722 race for Kentucky Filly Futurity eligibles. Zeron pushed to clear the lead through the last turn and kept his headstrong charge together for a 1-1/2-length win over pocket-chaser and 9-5 chalk Aperfect Annie (Todd McCarthy). The daughter of Muscle Hill-Fine Tuned Lady competes for New Jersey owners Julie Meirs and Jason Allen. She paid $8.30 to win. 

(With files from The Red Mile)