It’s Hammertime tops Delaware bred or certified Dover Stakes

Wilmington, Del., August 8, 2024 — Eagle Up Stable’s, London Reid Thoroughbreds and Non Stop Stable’s It’s Hammertime tops a field of seven entered in the Delaware bred or certified restricted $50,000 Dover Stakes at Delaware Park this Wednesday. The five-and-a-half-furlong stake for 2-year-olds is a prep for the Delaware bred or certified restricted $100,000 First State Dash on September 11.

In his only career outing, the son of Vekoma posted an 8-length victory in a five-furlong maiden at Delaware Park on June 5. The Maryland-bred is trained by Gary Capuano who is currently second in the Delaware Park trainer standings with a record of 16 wins from 44 starters.

“He is back and I entered him,” said trainer Gary Capuano.  “I am not sure about him because he has missed a couple days of training because of the weather so I am not sure we will be able to get him ready by next week.  He is a professional.  He is not a huge horse, but he is stout and he is put together pretty good.  He has the mindset of a nice one and he showed talent from the start, so we will see down the road how far that goes.”

Capuano has also entered Rose Petal Stable’s Bangkok Bob and John Hazard’s Sacred Thunder.  Both recently ran first and second in a six-furlong maiden at Delaware Park on August 7.

“Both of them ran great with Bangkok Bob just barely beating Sacred Thunder,” he said.  “It is a little quick, but as long they come out of the races good and they are sharp, sometimes you have to take the opportunities.  They both came out of the last race great and they did not get tired, so this is a good spot for them.  I think both of them will probably want to go a little farther, but we will see.”

So far through the Delaware Park meet, Capuano has been on fire with his 2-year-olds sporting a record of seven winners from 14 starters.

“We have been fortunate that they have all been running really good,” he said.  “We happened to get them earlier this year than we typically do and we got them ready.  They are all kind of falling into place right now, so we are riding the wave and, in this game, you need to ride it when you can because it is not typical.”

Capuano has won the Dover Stakes twice.  He won the race last year under the current restrictions for Delaware bred or certified 2-year-olds with Copper Tax and he won the race in 1996 when it was run as an open stake for 2-year-olds with Captain Bodgit who the following year, ran second in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

For more information about the Delaware bred or certified program, visit https://www.dtha.com/dctp/.

Upcoming Delaware Park Events – Autism Awareness Day at the Races, winner’s circle presentation, raffle, giveaways & more on August 21; the $200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and a half on the turf on August 21; and Bark! At Del’Park, join Faithful Friends and Delaware Park Casino to meet dogs that are up for adoption and win Slot Dollars on the Dog Dash after the fifth race on August 24;  

2024 Live Racing Dates – Live racing will be conducted on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday weekly format for most of the 2024 meet.  Friday cards will be added to the schedule on the following dates: September 13^th, September 20^th, September 27^th, October 4^th and October 11^th. Daily first race post time of 12:30 p.m.

$50,000 Dover Stakes

(Restricted to Delaware Bred or Certified)

For 2-year-olds

at five and a half furlongs

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