Acoma, Unbridled Belle top draws in Del 'Cap

ACOMA (Empire Maker) and UNBRIDLED BELLE (Broken Vow) are both exiting graded

wins heading into Sunday's rich $1 million

Delaware

H. (G2), and because of that will have to share highweight duties of 119

pounds in the 1 1/4-mile test.

Acoma rounded out her three-year-old campaign with scores in the Valley View

S. (G3) and Mrs. Revere S. (G2), then opened 2009 with a dominating five-length

victory in the Azeri S. (G3) on March 9. She couldn't offer a rally into the

soft pace of the Apple Blossom H. (G1) two back, snapping her three-race win

streak with a third on that day, but returned to her winning ways two months

later with a neck score in the Mint Julep H. (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 6.

Trainer David Carroll will be giving a leg up to jockey Julien Leparoux, who was

aboard for those earlier wins, in this one.

Unbridled Belle is the undisputed queen of Delaware Park, taking the 2008

Obeah H. (G3) by 5 3/4 lengths and this year's edition by 11 lengths last out.

She was also second in the 2007 ungraded edition and dominated that year's Del

'Cap by 7 3/4 lengths. She was third in last year's Del 'Cap, but ran well

considering she flipped in the paddock prior to the race.

"Something happened on the way over to the paddock," trainer Todd Pletcher

explained. "She got very hot and she just was not herself. She froze up in the

paddock and did not behave very well, which is very much out of character for

her. In spite of that, she still ran a very competitive race, but we thought it

might have compromised her chances a little bit. She has been very good in the

paddock since then and we will just do a little extra paddock schooling to cover

our bases, but we do not anticipate any problems."

Unbridled Belle will have Richard Migliore, who was holding the reins in the

Obeah most recently, back in the saddle.

"She really likes Delaware, so we are happy to have her back another year and

to give her another opportunity at this big race," Pletcher added.

Second in the Obeah was MORENA (Per) (Privately Held), who will try to rebound in her second start stateside. The Michael Matz charge

was a dual Group 2 winner in her native Peru, and the five-year-old mare will keep Rosie Napravnik in

the irons. Other contenders in the Del 'Cap include ICON PROJECT (Empire Maker),

a 13 1/4-length victress of the off-the-turf New York H. (G3), and Grade 3

winners SWIFT TEMPER (Giant's Causeway) and LIVIN LOVIN (Birdstone), second and

fourth, respectively, in the Fleur de Lis H. (G2) and Acorn S. (G1) last time

out.

Earlier on Delaware's card, the $150,000

Barbaro

S. (G3) has drawn a field of 12 to go 1 1/16 miles. Stakes winner IT

HAPPENED AGAIN (Proud Citizen) is no stranger to Delaware Park, racking up two

wins and a second from three tries over the Wilmington venue. Trained by Larry

Jones, the chestnut colt was a two-length winner going the distance last out

against allowance/optional claiming rivals, and will have Gabriel Saez aboard

for his second try against graded rivals.

OUR EDGE (The Cliff's Edge) captured his maiden by 8 3/4 lengths at Delaware,

then traveled to Monmouth Park for a front-running head score in the Coronado's

Quest S. most recently. The lightly raced three-year-old will have Alan Garcia

in the irons for the Barbaro.

Beginning the stakes action on Sunday will be the $75,000

Light Hearted S. for turf distaffers sprinting 7 1/2 furlongs.