Desvio bests the field in the Kent Stakes. (Hoofprints, Inc. Photo)
Survives claim of foul for Kent Stakes victory
Delaware Park Racing News & Notes
WILMINGTON, Del. — Stonelea Stable’s Desvio posted the upset victory and survived a claim of foul in the $160,750 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park today.
With Ben Curtis aboard, the 3-year-old son of Yoshida won by ¾-lengths and returned $20.20. Nomos, with Mychel Sanchez, finished second a head in front of the 2-to-1 favorite in the field of eleven, Spirit Prince, with Jose Ortiz, in third. Ramon Vazquez, aboard El Matador who finished fourth, claimed foul against Desvio for interference in the stretch, but after reviewing the replays the stewards ruled no change was necessary.
Willy D’s, with Jaime Rodriguez, set the early pace of 1:15.06 for the three-quarter miles and 1:39.24 for the mile before finishing seventh. The final time for the mile and three-eighths over a firm turf course was 2:16.39.
In his last, Desvio notched his first career turf victory going a mile and a sixteenth at Pimlico.
“It was a little bit of a different circumstance with the distance and there was a lot more cut in the ground that day,” said winning trainer Madison Meyers. “It is pretty firm out there today, but I think the distance helped. I think he has shown a lot of versatility. He came from way out of it at Pimlico and he was close to the pace today. He handled both of them just fine. Everything we have thrown at him; he has just gotten better and better and hopefully we can keep building from here.”
The Kent Stakes is the first career victory for the Kentucky-bred who raised his career record to three wins from seven starts with earnings of $168,680.
