Exotics Plays for the 2026 Cape Henlopen Stakes

A well-matched field of 10 turf stayers will run 1 1/2 miles on the grass at Delaware Park on Saturday in the $200,000 Cape Henlopen S. The turf tilt is one of six stakes races on a huge afternoon of action at the venue and is arguably the most competitive one on paper.  

Cape Henlopen Exotics

• $2 exacta key box 8 with 1,4,5 ($12)
• $1 exacta box 1,4,5,8 ($12)
• 50-cent trifecta 8 with 1,4,5 with all ($12)
• 50-cent trifecta 1,4,5 with 8 with all ($12)
• 20-cent superfecta box 1,4,5,8 ($4.80)

The Graham Motion-trained #8 Soleil Volant is two-for-two on the local lawn and comes off a powerful allowance score at Churchill Downs while running 1 3/8 miles. The Karakontie four-year-old captured the Kent S. here last campaign and gives me the impression of a horse that will prosper at distances similar to this one for the remainder of the season. The Kentucky-bred chestnut held up well when facing off with some really good ones as a three-year-old and wouldn’t be a surprise in his third run off the shelf with Ben Curtis in the silks. 

#5 Just A Touch is a multiple Grade-1 placed colt who was a solid allowance winner at Keeneland on April 16. Trained by Brad Cox, the four-year-old son of Justify comes in fresh for his local debut and hails from a good family of grass runners, as three of his siblings also made good on the sod. He has posted some swift morning drills leading up to this assignment, and while he is a question mark at the distance, the $300,000 yearling purchase can’t be dismissed with Irad coming in to retain the ride. 

#4 Il Siciliano owns just a single victory from 19 career runs to date, but the Antonio Sano pupil comes off a nice fourth in a good cast in the Pan American (G2) at this trip, earning a lifetime best 102 Brisnet Speed rating. The five-year-old son of Yoshida didn’t factor in the 2025 edition, but he is a better animal right now and will have a lot of value beneath the fine turf pilot Junior Alvarado. 

#1 Desvio is a solid turf marathoner who has won or placed in four straight dating back to last campaign, led by a win in the Sycamore (G2) at Keeneland in the fall. Also by Yoshida, the gray gelding has a win from a pair of local runs to date and has every right to improve while making just his second appearance of 2026. The win threat has a fine draw on the rail and Johnny V in the silks.