Jump to User Comments Jump to Race Entries/Results It is doubtful that jockey Alan Garcia will have many days that are better than the one he had on Sunday at Delaware Park.

The 34-year-old rider swept a pair of graded stakes on the front end at the Wilmington, Delaware, track, capturing the $1 million Delaware Handicap (G2) by open lengths aboard Swift Temper just a race removed from guiding Our Edge to a seven-length romp in the $152,100 Barbaro Stakes (G3).

With the victory, Swift Temper earned a starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1) as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

Trainer Dale Romans said he liked the Delaware Handicap for his mare and liked it even more when he saw the slow early fractions during the race.

"It seemed like a logical spot [for her]," Romans said. "We thought she would go a mile and a quarter and we thought it might even help. Obviously it did.”

Swift Temper broke from the far outside post in the field of six fillies and mares but did not stay there long as she showed good early speed to take command on the rail, leading the field through a half-mile in :49.83 and six furlongs in 1:14.79.

The 5-year-old chestnut Giant’s Causeway mare did not shy away from Grade 1 winner and 2007 Delaware Handicap winner Unbridled Belle when that challenger began to range up on the outside in the turn, and Swift Temper shifted into another gear at Garcia’s urging once she rounded the corner and hit the stretch.

Extending her lead with every powerful stride in the final sixteenth, Swift Temper won by 2¼ lengths, covering 1¼ miles in 2:03.41 on a fast track.

“We were planning on just getting comfortable where ever we were, but it worked out perfectly for us,” Romans said. “When they left us out there two in front going that slow, I knew they were in trouble. I was looking at the fractions and it did not look like at any point anybody wanted to challenge us. I knew if it was going to be a sprint from the quarter pole home, we were going to have plenty left."

Icon Project finished willingly but could not overtake the winner, and Unbridled Belle faded in deep stretch to finish third, another 1 ¾ lengths behind.

The victory was the fifth from 27 starts in four seasons for Swift Temper, and the $600,000 winner’s share of the purse made her a millionaire with career earnings of $1,033,346.

Owned by Mark Stanley, Swift Temper, the winner of this year’s Sixty Sails Handicap (G3) at Monmouth Park and the 2008 Gardenia Handicap (G3) at Ellis Park, is out of the winning Seeking the Gold mare Glasgow’s Gold, who is a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Gorgeous.

In the Barbaro Stakes, Garcia employed the same tactics as Our Edge sprinted from the outside right to the rail to take command and never faltered, drawing away in the stretch when roused to the clear victory.

The bay The Cliff’s Edge colt, trained by Nick Zito for Robert LaPenta, entered the 1 1/16-mile Barbaro off a head victory in the Coronado’s Quest Stakes on June 20 at Monmouth Park.

He proved to be much the best in the Barbaro as he took the field through a half-mile in :47.89 and six furlongs in 1:12.68 under Garcia before driving definitively away from any challenger, covering the distance in 1:43.70.

"[Trainer] Nick Zito just told me let him break and get good position and go from there," Garcia said. "My horse broke very well and after that he just kept it going. I had tons of horse at the end."

It Happened Again moved up with authority in the far turn but could not sustain his rally to finish second, 1¼ lengths in front of Denver.

Our Edge won for the third time from five starts and boosted his earnings to $162,500. He is out of the stakes-winning Star de Naskra mare Cash the Flash, who is a half sister to four stakes winners.