Queen Olly Seeks Back-to-Back Wins in Nicole’s Dream

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – AMO Racing USA’s Olivia Darling, who launched her 5-year-old season with an upset victory in the Inside Information (G2) in January, will end a 141-day gap between starts Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Jorge Delgado, Olivia Darling drew the outermost Post 7 in a second-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares sprinting seven furlongs that is carded as Race 6 on an 11-race program that begins at 12:20 p.m.

Olivia Darling has tuned up for her comeback with seven works over Gulfstream’s main track since Sept. 28, most recently going a half mile in 49.09 seconds Nov. 17. Irish jockey David Egan, back in South Florida for the winter, has the call.

“She worked good the other day, very good gallop out. She’s in good form,” Delgado said. “She had a really good year last year and then in the summer she got a little tired, so we decided to give her time off. She came back with no signs she needed to be retired, so we’re hoping that she comes back to the form she had last year.”

Olivia Darling was third or better in seven of nine starts in 2023 with two wins and was beaten less than a length when third in Gulfstream’s six-furlong Sugar Swirl (G3) last December. Her 2 ¼-length triumph at odds of 7-1 in the seven-furlong Inside Information came on the undercard of the Pegasus World Cup (G1).

“It was an unbelievable day,” Delgado said. “It was Pegasus day, one of the biggest days at Gulfstream, and she ran so big the way she did it. She had run up against that group many, many times and finally got the best of them that day.”

Following the Inside Information, Olivia Darling was second as the favorite by a half-length under Egan in the 6 ½-furlong Hurricane Bertie (G3), then pressed the pace before tiring to ninth in the May 4 Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs prior to running fifth in the six-furlong Dashing Beauty July 7 at Delaware Park.

Overall, Olivia Darling has a record of 5-6-2 with $376,513 in purse earnings from 21 starts. She is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line behind Grade 3-placed Imonra (2-1), a last out fourth behind stablemate and subsequent Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner Soul of an Angel in Gulfstream’s Sept. 21 Princess Rooney (G3).

“She has done everything very good since she came back. She is very healthy,” Delgado said. “She is a fun filly, and she has been nothing but good to us. We’re looking forward to getting her back. She’s going to run two or three more times in the next four months and then she’s going to be in foal to Nyquist, so that’s exciting for her.”

AMO Racing USA’s Queen Olly will face seven other fillies and mares in Sunday’s $75,000 Nicole’s Dream, a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance on Tapeta carded as Race 10.

The Irish-bred 4-year-old filly proved her worth on Tapeta in her most recent start, rallying from off the pace to score by 1 ½ lengths in a five-furlong optional claiming allowance that was transferred to the all-weather surface. The Sept. 27 victory came in her first trip on Tapeta.

“We got lucky that she had a good trip the first time on the surface. She’s a filly who seems to get unlucky in her trips, but she always fights back and does the best that she can,” Delgado said. “That day, at the three-eighths pole, she had to check mildly, but she overcame that and won.”

Queen Olly, who began her career in Europe, was transferred to Delgado following her first two races in the U.S. last year. The daughter of No Nay Never raced twice at Monmouth Park prior to her Tapeta success. After losing a photo finish at 5 ½ furlongs on turf, she rallied from far back to score her first U.S. victory also at 5 ½ furlongs on turf.

“She seems to be growing and maturing mentally,” Delgado said. “I’m looking forward to the stakes races in the winter. I think she’ll be competitive.”

Edwin Gonzalez has the return mount aboard Queen Olly, who is rated third at 7-2 on the morning line.

M Racing Group LLC’s Karaya, who captured back-to-back Tapeta races during last season’s Championship Meet, has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite. The 3-year-old daughter of Bucchero will make her first start since finishing fifth in the June 27 Alywow Stakes at Woodbine. Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse named Irad Ortiz Jr. on Karaya.

Laurie Plesa and Glassman Racing LLC’s Time Passage, who has been set at 3-1 on the morning line, has established herself as a Tapeta specialist. The 4-year-old daughter of Tunwoo has raced nine times on the all-weather surface, winning five times and finishing second three times. Leonel Reyes has the call on the Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained filly who returns from a two-race stint with Casse at Woodbine.

Olga Diaz’s Moanas Power, Four S Racing Stable’s My Lady James, Down Neck Stables’ On the Payroll, John Brnjas’ American Starlet and Alters Racing Stable Inc.’s Oh Darlin round out the field.