Ceniza Pampa Contests the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3) This Saturday

It will take place at Delaware Park, where she will face 5 rivals, including the Chilean-bred Doña Clota; she will have José Ortíz in the irons

DELAWARE, Maryland (Special to Turf Diario).– Argentine-bred Ceniza Pampa will face her first stakes challenge on United States soil this Saturday at Delaware Park when she lines up in the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3), contested over 2200 meters on the turf with a $250,000 purse.

Conditioned by Horacio de Paz for Pedro Simón LLC—the local satellite of Stud Rodolfo Pedro—the daughter of Hat Ninja will compete over a distance that suits her perfectly, the very same trip over which she captured the Gran Premio Gilberto Lerena (G1) on the Palermo turf just over a year ago.

With José Ortíz engaged to ride and breaking from post position 5, this will mark the third local outing for Ceniza Pampa. In her domestic debut, she finished seventh in a Keeneland allowance race, suffering from traffic trouble that prevented her from finishing much closer.

That impression was validated on May 15th when she stepped up at Churchill Downs, finishing second by 1 3/4 lengths behind Ummerited Favor (Summer Front) under the same conditions she will encounter today.

Also a winner of the Clásico Ignacio, Ignacio F. e Ignacio Correas (G2) on the Buenos Aires dirt, the bay mare will face just 5 rivals, including another South American contender in the Chilean-bred Doña Clota (Ivan Denisovich). Now under the care of Saffie Joseph Jr., she comes off a sixth-place finish in the Modesty Stakes (G3) after failing previously in the Orchid Stakes (G3). A dual G1 winner in her homeland, she gets a fresh opportunity to showcase her best form.

The race shapes up as a tough assignment, primarily due to the presence of the Irish-bred Bellezza (Siyouni), winner of the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G3) and the Flower Bowl Stakes (G2), who is also seeking redemption after a pair of subpar performances in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the aforementioned Orchid.

Storm Miami (Blue Point) possesses a long and consistent campaign and recently displayed an interesting level at Belmont At the Big A, finishing second in the Sheepshead Bay Stakes, just 3/4 of a length behind No Show Sammy Jo(Lope de Vega).

The English-bred Alluring Angel (Fastnet Rock) brings strong credentials as well, highlighted by her victory in last season's Long Island Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct, though she has shown some vulnerabilities since.