Photo:

Tim Sudduth / Eclipse Sportswire

Favored Big Cuddle broke a step slow, recovered to launch a three-wide bid on the far turn and drew off in the final furlong to a four-length victory Saturday in the $300,000 Delaware Derby at Delaware Park.

Yedsit Hazlewood rode the winner for trainer Gary Capuano in the 1 1/16-mile race for three-year-olds, the second running of the Delaware Derby. Pocket 3’s Racing owns the colt, who went postward as the 13-10 favorite in a field of six.

Ponder and Dream (8-1) broke alertly and set the early pace in the two path, leading through an opening quarter-mile in 24.30 seconds. Out of the Woods (3-1) pressed along the rail, then edged ahead down the backstretch to reach the half in 48.29. Big Cuddle settled in fourth through that point before angling three wide on the far turn, taking command by the five-sixteenths pole and running three-quarters in 1:12.48.

Out of the Woods refused to let him go, vying for command near the five-sixteenths and chasing into the lane, but the favorite proved too strong. Big Cuddle led through a mile in 1:37.90 and extended his advantage under mild urging to a final time of 1:44.27. He paid $4.60, $2.60 and $2.10.

Out of the Woods stayed on for second and returned $3.80 and $2.40. Second choice Sovereign Law (8-5), who brushed with Code of Silence in upper stretch under Irad Ortiz Jr., ran on for third and paid $2.10 to show. Code of Silence (67-1) closed for fourth, Ponder and Dream tired to fifth after dueling early and Minorinconvenience (16-1) trailed the field. Litmus Test was scratched.

Luv Your Neighbor  finally got her long-awaited graded stakes glory June 13 with a triumph in the $295,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park. 

Under jockey Luis Saez, the 3-year-old daughter of Constitution   raced midpack off leader Dazzling Dame , who carved out fractions of :23.76, :47.82, and 1:12.00. The Michael Stidham trainee continued to race comfortably down the backstretch, came under pressure to gain on the leaders approaching the turn, and hit the front as the field hit the stretch. She battled outside of Dazzling Dame and Jumping the Gun , and pulled away from her rivals in deep stretch, prevailing by 1 1/4 lengths. Jumping the Gun finished second, and post-time favorite Dazzling Dame wrapped up third. Pashmina , the third choice in the wagering, raced in fourth early but was a nonfactor and faded to fifth.

Luv Your Neighbor completed the 1 1/16 miles in a final time of 1:44.05 on a fast main track, and paid $6.80 for a $2 wager as the second betting choice.

Prior to the Delaware Oaks, Lael Stables’ Luv Your Neighbor had placed second in the Eight Belles Stakes (G2) and Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2), and third in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). The Ontario-bred was purchased for $350,000 by her owners at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Video: Delaware Oaks (G3)

Big Cuddle Lands Delaware Derby 

In the $300,000 Delaware Derby, Big Cuddle  drew off in the stretch to get the win.

The Gary Capuano trainee broke slowly and settled midpack under usual rider Yedsit Hazlewood. He rated off pacesetter Ponder and Dream , who posted an opening quarter of :24.30. The 3-year-old son of Great Notion  continued to travel under a tight hold down the backstretch through a half in :48.29, and made his move for the lead as he approached the turn. Big Cuddle took the lead and opened up by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong to the wire. Out of the Woods  made an attempt for the lead on the rail, but he was no match for Big Cuddle, who hit the wire 4 lengths the best. Out of the Woods held second and Sovereign Law , who was well back in the early stages of the race, finished third.

Big Cuddle completed the 1 1/16 miles in a final time of 1:44.27 and paid $4.60 to win as the post-time favorite, after the scratch of Bob Baffert’s Litmus Test , who instead is expected to run in the Affirmed Stakes June 15 at Santa Anita Park.

Owned by Pocket 3’s Racing, Big Cuddle improved his record to four wins from five lifetime starts and earned his second stakes victory in a row. 

Video: Delaware Derby (BT)