Crystal Ball Seeking First Stakes Victory In Obeah

WILMINGTON, DE – WinStar Stablemates Racing’s Crystal Ball will be seeking her first career stakes victory when she faces a potential 13 rivals in the $100,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park Wednesday.

The mile and 1/16 affair is the local prep for the filly and mare summer classic – the mile and 1/4 Delaware Handicap (G2) to be run on Saturday, July 10.

Last year, the 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon finished second, beaten a head in the mile and 1/8 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga. This year, the Kentucky-bred conditioned by Rodolphe Brisset is unbeaten in 2 starts.

In her season debut, she notched a 1-length score in a 1-mile allowance at Santa Anita on April 2 and she followed with a 1 1/2-length triumph in a mile and 1/16 allowance at Churchill Downs on May 8. She has a career record of 3 wins, a second, and a third from 6 starts with earnings of $223,608.

A solid effort in the Obeah Stakes could punch her Delaware Handicap ticket.

“She is doing really good and we are really happy with her,” said trainer Rodolphe Brisset. “She has had 2 nice victories and has worked nicely since, so we are extremely pleased with her. She is Grade 1 stakes-placed, but we would like to get her a stakes victory to increase her broodmare value for the future. From there, we would love to have some fun, so let’s see how she does. We all know a new surface like Delaware Park can be a little tricky, but if she handles the track and runs well, the Delaware Handicap is certainly a possibility.”

The 7/2 morning line favorite in the race Queen Nekia will likely scratch from the Obeah Stakes after finishing fourth in last Saturday’s Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.

Here is the full field for the Obeah, carded as the penultimate event on Wednesday’s 9-race card and with an approximate local post time of 4:45 PM Eastern: