BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Few horses have called Delaware Park home more successfully than 7-year-old Florida-bred Spikezone, who tries for the richest prize of his career against older sprinters in Friday’s $125,000 New Castle Handicap. For Delaware-bred or certified 3-year-olds and older, the six-furlong New Castle has attracted six entries including 123-pound highweights Great Quality and Quint’s Brew. Trained by the meet-leader Jamie Ness for Troy Johnson, Charles Lo and Jagger Inc., Spikezone is one of the four remaining contenders, all with 121-pound assignments.
A victory in the New Castle by Spikezone would result in a $4,000 Export Incentive paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association to breeder Chester Bishop of Delray Beach, Florida in the name of his Bishop Racing.
Spikezone has eight wins during his career at Delaware Park with a second and four thirds in 14 starts. Two of those victories came this year, both at the New Castle distance of six furlongs. He won a $55,000 allowance race to start the year on May 20 and two starts back took a $25,000 starter allowance by two-and-a-quarter lengths on July 29.
Ness sent him to Parx Racing last out where he was fifth in the $75,000 State Representative’s Sprint won by Fire Pit at six-and-a-half furlongs. He was also second to Fire Pit in an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming going six furlongs at Parx on July 7.
Spikezone has a career ledger of 19 wins, 13 of which came at six furlongs, with seven seconds and eigth thirds. He has earned $740,222 in 40 previous races with his lone stakes victory in the $75,000 Let’s Give Thanks at Parx in November of 2024.
By Speightster out of the Stay Thirsty mare Blameitontheice, Spikezone will be guided from post one by Jaime Rodriguez, who has ridden the bay gelding 15 times previously. However, they have not teamed up since October when third in a $100,000 optional claiming during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct Race Track.
Great Quality is three for nine lifetime with all three wins coming over five furlongs at Delaware Park. Most recently he took an off-the-turf allowance race there on June 17. That was only his second start this year after finishing third in a $25,000 optional claiming starter allowance over a sloppy six furlongs at Delaware on May 21.
Trained by Gary Capuano, Great Quality’s other two wins at Delaware came when he broke his maiden in his first career start in June of 2024 and in an off-the-turf, $25,000 starter allowance, optional claiming in August of last year.
The 4-year-old gelded son of Great Notion is a homebred for Daniel C. Crowley and Non Stop Stable and looks for the first black type in a career that sports $83,380 in earnings.
Paco Lopez will ride Great Quality from post four.
Quint’s Brew has won four of seven starts this year including the $100,000 Alapocas Run going six furlongs on June 13—his only race at Delaware Park. In one start since, the 5-year-old gelding was second to Book ‘em Danno in the $221,000 Mr. Prospector going six furlongs at Monmouth Park on July 17.
Quint’s Brew is trained by Edward Allard for Paul Berube, Karen Linnell and Heather B. Hunter and has a career ledger of eight wins, five seconds and a third with earnings of $671,740.
Forest Boyce has the call on the son of Mosler and they will break from the outside stall six.
Rounding out the field are Chipotle with Raul Mena aboard, Jeiron Barbosa has the riding assignment on Wickeddivine and Yedsit Hazlewood will pilot Haileysfirstnotion.
Return to the September 9 issue of Wire to Wire
