How to bet the 2026 Royal Delta Stakes

An outstanding and accomplished field of eight fillies and mares will run 1 1/16 miles over the Gulfstream Park dirt in Saturday’s $175,000 Royal Delta (G3). While she is the most lightly raced contender in the affair, I still feel that #4 Shred the Gnar (6-5) will be the one in her seasonal debut for Brian Lynch. 

Royal Delta Wagers

• $25 win #4 Shred the Gnar ($25)
• $4 trifecta key 4 with 1,2,7 ($24)

Purchased for $610,000 as a yearling, the daughter of Into Mischief was unveiled as a sophomore on this surface and just missed in a six-furlong dash. She was not headed in her three subsequent tries thereafter, first dominating special weight foes on the course and then cruising home in two runs at Churchill Downs, capped by a strong Chilukki (G3) victory on Nov. 15. 

The Kentucky-bred bay is the pace of the race on a surface that often plays kindly to speed going long on the dirt, and her long string of morning drills in advance of the tussle tells me that she will be fit and ready for her toughest test to date. I’m tabbing the bay to lead throughout under Mario Gutierrez. 

#2 Senza Parole (4-1) has had some setbacks in her lifetime, but seems to have put those behind her for Chad Brown. The Gun Runner four-year-old passed the one-mile test last time out with a powerful allowance win here when registering a stout 109 Brisnet Late Pace rating, and she continues to fire bullet morning drills this season, as well. The homebred could shine while going two turns for the initial time on Saturday, and her tactical speed will allow her to stay in touch in the early going prior to unleashing her substantial late kick in the lane. Miguel Vasquez has the assignment. 

I’m not in love with the winning chances of Kentucky Oaks (G1) runner-up #7 Drexel Hill (20-1) in the race, but the four-year-old impressed me in her comeback tally at Tampa most recently, and I feel that she could have a big year for Beckman. The Bolt d’Oro filly doesn’t possess the best running style to match this surface, but her late kick will be felt as she challenges for a top-three finish inside the final furlong under Javier Castellano. 

#1 Alpine Princess (5-2) made good in the Falls City (G3) in her 2025 finale and was assigned a perfect slot on the rail for her first appearance at this venue. The Classic Empire mare has been consistently quite good over the past two seasons and is a nice fit in this cast. The Brad Cox pupil owns a strong turn of foot and will be challenging for a piece with a clean voyage late with Corey Lanerie in the irons.