Fondly Roars Back In Delaware Oaks
By: Chris Sobocinski Paulick Report
After finishing near the back in the Kentucky Oaks last time out, the Upstart filly rebounded with aplomb at Delaware Park, scoring her first graded stakes win
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stable’s Fondly scored an easy front-running victory in the $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park today.
With Irad Ortiz Jr aboard, the Kentucky-bred trained by H. Graham Motion won by three lengths and returned $9.80 as the third choice in the field of nine.
After cutting early fractions of :49.64 for the half mile and 1:14.66 for the three-quarter miles, the daughter of Upstart completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.61 over a fast main track. The 5-to-2 favorite, Margie’s Intention, with Luan Machado finished second and it was another three-quarters of a length back to Kinzie Queen, with Junior Alvarado, in third.
Fondly raised her career record to three wins from four starts and earnings of $339,200. She also won the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs on March 15 before finishing 11th of 13 in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
For Motion, Saturday’s victory is his third in the Delaware Oaks. He won the race with Sincerely in 2000 and with Fortune Pearl in in 2014.
“We had some great experiences in this race,” Motion said, who has 35 Delaware Park career stake wins. “We won this race for Larry Johnson who is no longer with us. We won this race with Michael McCarthy riding for us and we came back an won this race with his son Trevor riding for us, so we have had some great experiences with this race and at this track.”
Fondly, bred by late Kentucky Governor Brereton C. Jones, master of Airdrie Stud in Midway, was produced by the Istan mare Lifetime Memory. She was a $50,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale in her breeder’s consignment.