Even the nine post in the Saturday, April 17 Open Handicap Pace at Pocono may not prevent Delivered From Zin from winning his fifth straight race. But it won’t be easy since an outstanding field of nine will be contesting the $28,000 dash.
Delivered From Zin, a seven-year-old Sealed N Delivered gelding, comes into the contest with a four-race win streak, the last at Dover Downs in a $30,000 Open Handicap event in a new life's best 1:50.3. The horse closed in :27.2 and won by two lengths.
Dylan Davis, who has raced horses in the W.N. Reynolds Stake and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes the past two years at Pocono, is hoping Delivered From Zin will bring him his first training victory at the Northeastern Pennsylvania racetrack.
Davis, a Delaware resident, and Michael Casalino of Freehold, New Jersey claimed Delivered From Zin for $20,000 on February 15, and the first race for the new barn went on a break and finished eighth. Since that time, Delivered From Zin has won four straight, moving up the $30,000 and $40,000 claiming ladders.
“I don’t like the nine hole, but my horse doesn’t leave and would be back in the pack even if we had the No. 1 post," Davis offered. “He’s a very corky horse and you can’t rush him. It takes a little time for him to get set. Once he does he has raw speed.
“Delivered From Zin may not be the best horse I have ever trained but he’s the fastest.
“I’m hoping for some fast early fractions in the race. He’ll definitely be coming at the end of the mile. It would be great to win Saturday night since I own half of him.”
Tony Morgan, one of the top drivers in North America, will be driving Delivered From Zin Saturday night.
The nine-horse field will also include Announcement, Dragon Island, Malosi, Mucho Sleazy, Mr Hallowell, Golden Receiver, Mystery Chase and Western Bay.
Mr Hallowell, with George Napolitano, Jr. in the bike, won last week’s open handicap pace with a time of 1:51.4.
(With files from Pocono)