Jorge Delgado confident lightly-raced Domino Vitali will handle class jump in Saturday’s Serena’s Song

By Tom Luicci —-

JORGE DELGADO CONFIDENT THAT LIGHTLY-RACED DOMINO VITALI

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Jorge Delgado shrugs off most of the obstacles that Domino Vitali will have to overcome in Saturday’s $100,000 Serena’s Song Stakes at Monmouth Park.

The 11–week layoff? Not a concern, he says.

Trying two turns for the first time? Delgado doesn’t see that as an issue for his long-striding filly.

First time trying stakes company? “She’s a stakes-caliber horse,” said Delgado. “I think she has class.”

Delgado, Monmouth Park’s leading trainer a year ago, said none of those variables concern him because this race was the plan for the 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo ever since she breezed to a six-length win in an optional claimer on Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

The Serena’s Song, at a mile and 70 for fillies and mares 3 and up, drew a field of seven.

“We didn’t have anything for her at Gulfstream after her last start. There was no `other than’ or stakes race for her after that race,” said Delgado. “Knowing she was coming to Monmouth Park I planned on running her in this race. We had this race in mind for her as soon as the condition book came out.

“We gave her some time off and then worked her back at Gulfstream and Monmouth for this.”

A $600,000 yearling purchase, the Kentucky-bred Domino Vitali spent her unraced 2-year-old season with Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott before being transferred to Delgado.

She has been nearly-flawless over her three-race career – making her the least experienced horse in the field as well – winning her only start at 3 by six lengths in Maiden Special Weight Company. She tired late in her first start at 4 in an optional claimer, finishing second, before her six-length score in her last start.

“She’s a 4-year-old with low mileage so the layoff doesn’t concern me,” said Delgado. “Right now she’s doing phenomenally. I think she has matured mentally. Physically she looks good.

“She has run against some good horses. The fact that she has not run in a stakes race yet doesn’t mean anything to me. I know what she can do.”

Though both of her starts this year were in a one-turn mile races, Delgado saw enough from the way she finished her last start to have confidence she is a two-turn horse.

“In her last race she showed us she wanted to go longer,” he said. “She was so strong that race. She is built to go a distance.”

But she will also be facing another level of company on Saturday, with Ourdaydreaminggirl having run in four graded stakes in her career. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is sending Waveless off a sharp win at Aqueduct, while trainer Chad Brown, who won the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park last Sunday, will be represented by Lost Horizon, a winner of two of five career starts.

First race post time on Saturday for Monmouth Park’s eight-race card is 12:50, though gates will open at 10 a.m. with the first race from Laurel for the Preakness Stakes card going at 10:30 a.m.