Nickel Classic and Lu Ravi battle it out in the Delaware Oaks
Morning line favorite, Really Polish, scratched leaving a solid field including Added Gold, Lu Ravi and Memories of Gold for the 47th running of the Delaware Oaks on Saturday, July 25th.
However, it was the Midwestern filly, Nickel Classic, who prevailed by a head over a closing Lu Ravi, a daughter of A.P. Indy, with Willie Martinez aboard. Ridden by Calvin Borel for Calvin Johnston and trainer Mark Danner, the blaze-faced chestnut daughter of Regal Classic and Spend a Nickel by Plugged Nickle (KY) ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42 4/5 second. She improved her record to 8 starts, 4 wins, 2 second and a third, with her only off-the-board performance being a second place finish to Really Polish in the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs in which she was disqualified and placed 5th.
Taffy Davenport kept her *never off the board* record in tact with a third place finish under her regular rider, Pat Day.
photo © L. A. Williams