Delaunay pulls away in sloppy Churchill Downs Stakes

Maggi Moss' Delaunay took to the slop by pulling away for a four-length

victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $443,600

Churchill Downs Stakes in just his second graded try.

The six-year-old gelding likes Churchill Downs, as this victory gives him an

impressive four-for-four record over the track, which includes wins in the

Kelly's Landing and Bet On Sunshine Stakes in June and November 2012. Delaunay

entered in here on a five-race win streak, all being against stakes company.

"Delaunay had faced the same group of horses, but today was a really

overpowering performance," trainer Tom Amoss said. "I think you'd have a lot of

doubt not calling him the best sprinter in the country after today."

Delaunay broke from the outside post in the nine-horse field and stopped the

clock in 1:22 1/5 for the seven-furlong contest over the sloppy, sealed track with Rosie Napravnik aboard.

"The post position was great," Napravnik said. "He broke

sharp. He's such a cool horse. He'll do whatever you ask him. He's very speedy

and he'll relax if you need him to. He's just a very fast horse. Since Tom's (Amoss)

had him, he's really come around. The track wasn't a problem at all for him.

He's got a good record on wet tracks. We weren't worried about that."

Delaunay has now hit the board in all but one of his six

starts on an off track.

The 9-5 favorite paid $5.80, $3.80 and $3 to

his backers and boosted his bankroll to $803,486 from a 39-14-8-3 line.

Delaunay was claimed from Ptk LLC for $40,000 after winning

a claiming race at Churchill last May 12. Amoss was asked if he is the best

claim he ever made.

"By far, it's the best claim I ever made," Amoss said. "I

saw a horse that I thought that was worth $40,000, which is what I paid. What's

different? I really don't know. He's just come around and he looks great. He

doesn't look like a $40,000 horse, that's for darn sure."