Hystericalady laughs loudest after Delaware romp

What was expected to be a contentious renewal of the $1,000,900

Delaware

H. (G2) instead turned into a one-woman show as HYSTERICALADY (Distorted

Humor) seized control from the pacesetting Lemon Drop Mom (Lemon Drop Kid)

turning for home and waltzed home a dominating four-length winner as the 5-2

third choice in a field of eight fillies and mares. Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Hystericalady completed 1 1/4 miles over a fast track in 2:02 1/5, returning $7,

$4.20 and $2.60.

Hystericalady was no more than a length behind Lemon Drop Mom for the opening

six furlongs, which the latter rattled off through fractions of :24, :48 4/5 and

1:13. The winner grabbed a half-length advantage after a mile in 1:36 4/5, and

received no further pressure from the back as she was ridden out to the wire.

Lemon Drop Mom, a 20-1 chance, finished second by three-quarters of a length and

was good for $13.20 and $6.20. Unbridled Belle (Broken Vow), who was seeking her

second consecutive victory in the Delaware H., was a non-threatening third as

the 2-1 favorite and brought back $2.80. The exacta returned $134, the trifecta

$352, and the superfecta (8-6-9-10) with second choice Spring Waltz (Silver

Charm) paid $1,113.20.

Spring Waltz, whose odds approached 5-2, offered little in her first start

since March, finishing 3 1/2 lengths behind Unbridled Belle. She was followed by

Buy the Barrel (E Dubai), All Smiles (Awesome Again), Santa Teresita (Lemon Drop

Kid) and Kathleens Reel (Lemon Drop Kid). Copper State (Jump Start), Moon

Catcher (Malibu Moon) and Over Under (Seeking the Gold) were withdrawn.

Hystericalady really came on for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who owns the

five-year-old in partnership with George Todaro and Rancho San Miguel, during

2007, taking the Humana Distaff S. (G1) and Molly Pitcher S. (G2) while placing

in the Vanity Invitational H. (G1), Lady's Secret S. (G1) and Milady H. (G2).

She ended her four-year-old campaign with a neck second to champion Ginger Punch

(Awesome Again) in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), and has added a win in the

Azeri S. (G3), a third in the Humana Distaff, and a win in the Fleur de Lis H.

(G2) to her line this season. With the $600,000 winner's share from this one, the

chestnut mare has now banked $2,110,556 to go along with her 20-10-3-2 career

mark.

Bred by Abbott Properties in Kentucky, Hystericalady passed through the sales

ring twice, bringing $100,000 as a Keeneland November weanling before selling to

her current connections for $125,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She is

out of Chilean champion Sacramentada (Chi) (Northair), who captured the 1992

Hawthorne H. (G2). This is the same family as El Derby (Chi-G1) hero Semillero

(Chi) (Proposal), who won the 1985 Louisiana Downs H. (G3) and was fourth in

that same year's Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and San Juan Capistrano Invitational H.

(G1).

Hystericalady counts as half-sisters the stakes-placed Torrey Pines (Woodman)

and Broad Picture (Broad Brush).