How to bet the 2024 Royal Delta Stakes

An excellent field of 11 fillies and mares will vie in Saturday’s $150,000 Royal Delta S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park. I’ll focus on a few horses that I expect to be forwardly placed, as the short run into the first turn often favors horses in the hunt early on over this surface. 

Royal Delta Wagers

• $15 win and place #5 Tizzy in the Sky ($30)
• 50-cent trifecta 5,10 with 4,5,6,10 with all ($27)

Todd Pletcher’s #5 Tizzy in the Sky gave a nice account of herself in her last trio of efforts in 2023 and seems poised to pick up where she left off in this affair. The Sky Kingdom five-year-old was an excellent second in the Turnback the Alarm S. at Aqueduct two prior, which preceded a runner-up finish in the Go For Wand S. (G3) in her four-year-old finale. 

Tizzy in the Sky has fired two bullet morning drills at Palm Beach Downs leading up to Saturday, and I feel that her running style will be ideal for the Gulfstream strip, as well. Irad Ortiz taking the reins is an obvious bonus, too. 

#10 Libban, one of four in the field for trainer Saffie Joseph, has fine gate presence and rates a big chance if she runs her best in the tilt. The lightly raced daughter of Laoban has never put in a bad effort and comes off of a good showing when a close fourth against some talented stakes foes at Tampa Bay in her latest endeavor. The Kentucky-bred four-year-old fired a bullet five-eighths in advance of the affair and will have Edwin Gonzalez in the stirrups. 

Group 2 heroine #4 Yuki is a tough read for me after stopping early in her 2023 finale, but the Chilean is very fast from the gate and will surely be the early leader in this spot under Leo Reyes. The gray five-year-old was first or second in each of her three runs in California in the summer, led by a victory in the Dark Mirage S. two back. I don’t feel that the daughter of The Lumber Guy is the most talented runner in the cast, but I do expect her to be in front at the top of the lane at a nice price. 

Of the late runners in the lineup, I’ll give #6 Honor D Lady a lot of play in my exotics wagers. Also trained by Joseph, the Honor Code filly appreciated the move to the dirt in her final two outings last campaign, and I envision her running a big one while coming in fresh. The Kentucky bred is training in swift fashion and will have Jose Ortiz in the silks.