Life at Ten makes it six in a row in Del 'Cap

Life at Ten spent her first five races competing on the synthetics in

California and Kentucky, racking up a 5-1-3-1 mark on the all-weather surfaces.

She posted a pair of allowance runner-up efforts sprinting at Saratoga last

season, then suffered her only off-the-board placing to date when trying the

turf at Belmont Park. The chestnut has been unbeatable since returning to the

main track, capturing an allowance, the Snit S. and the Rare Treat S. in

succession at Aqueduct.

She made her graded bow in the Sixty Sails S. (G3) on April 17, posting a

one-length score on that day, and Pletcher decided to give the five-year-old a

shot in the Ogden Phipps H. (G1) at Belmont Park instead of the traditional Del

'Cap local prep of the Obeah S. (G3). The move paid dividends as Life at Ten ran

away to a 2 3/4-length victory in that 1 1/16-mile event. She doubled her

earnings with the winner's share here to $909,267, and now owns a 14-7-5-1

career line.

As for Pletcher, this win gave him a record-equaling fourth score in the Del

'Cap following victories by Unbridled Belle (2007), Fleet Indian (2006) and

Irving's Baby (2001). Henry Clark set the mark when taking the 1958 and 1959

editions with Endine, and the 1969 and 1970 runnings with Obeah.

"It is just special to win the Delaware Handicap because it is such an

important race for fillies and mares," Pletcher said. "We have always looked at

the Del 'Cap as a great opportunity. It has a great tradition and great purse

and we have been fortunate enough to win the race four times."

Bred in Kentucky by Nickelback Farm, Life at Ten sold for $35,000 as a

Keeneland September yearling. She is out of the winning Rahrahsixboombah (Rahy)

and comes from the same female line as multiple Grade 2 winners Chimes Band

(Dixieland Band) and Freefourinternet (Tabasco Cat).  A little farther back,

Life at Ten is related to noted sires Relaunch (In Reality) and Glitterman (Dewan).