O Dionysus stretched out to 1 1/2-miles for the first time in Saturday’s $75,000 Cape Henlopen S. at Delaware Park and came away with a new track record and his third career stakes win.
The 4-year-old son of Bodemeister is also a perfect three-for-three on the turf following Saturday’s win. He is now 6-5-1 in 16 starts for owner Marathon Farms Inc. and trainer Gary Capuano.
O Dionysus broke from the outside post in the field of nine, but made his way to the front in the first half-mile. With Utmost just to his inside, that pair raced as one for most of the rest of the way, exchanging turns taking the lead. Utmost faded in the final furlong, and Vintage Matters made a very late bid for the win, but O Dionysus dug in to win by a head in 2:25.99 on the firm turf.
O Dionysus has won one stakes each of the past three years and has earned $335,099. He is out of Safe Journey and is a half-brother to another three-time stakes winner, Joy.
Bodemeister is the leading Third-Crop Sire of winners this year with 63 to date. His four stakes winners this year include recent San Carlos S. (G2) winner American Anthem.
