FRANKLIN, Ky. – Drayden Van Dyke enjoyed a happy homecoming – and 23rd birthday – when guiding Big Bend to a wire-to-wire upset Sunday in the $350,000 Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs. Always on the lead, Big Bend dug down in the final furlong to repel Parlor for easily the richest victory of his 10-race career. “I had him relaxed all the way around there,” said Van Dyke. “I needed him to finish up the last part, and that’s what he did.” Owned by the Union Rags Racing LLC of Damian Lynch, Big Bend returned $17.40 after finishing the once-around distance of 1 5/16 miles in 2:11.57 over a firm course. The bay colt by Union Rags is based at the Fair Hill training center in northern Maryland with trainer Tom Proctor. Van Dyke, based in Southern California, was voted the 2014 Eclipse Award for top apprentice. He grew up primarily in Arkansas but spent part of his youth in Louisville, Ky., in the company of his late father, Seth, who worked as an exercise rider and valet in Kentucky and Arkansas. On a sunny, idyllic afternoon, Big Bend broke sharply to make the running, with the field bunching up closely behind him with about a half-mile to go. Parlor had the most momentum after they all straightened away, but he just could not get past Big Bend when finishing three-quarters of a length behind. Bronson was third and Holiday Bonus was fourth in a field reduced to eight 3-year-olds by three early scratches. The $2 exacta (3-5) paid $64.60, the $1 trifecta (3-5-2) returned $146.90, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-5-2-7) was worth $68.41. All-sources handle on a 10-race Sunday card was $6,044,717, up 31 percent over the corresponding date from last year and the second-highest in track history, behind only the record of nearly $8.5 million handled Saturday. All non-claiming/starter races at Kentucky Downs include substantial bonuses for registered Kentucky-breds. Daddys Lil Darling ($4) romps in Oaks One race earlier, the late-running Daddys Lil Darling took command without even being asked by Julien Leparoux before sailing to a 4 1/4-length triumph in the filly counterpart, the $200,000 Dueling Grounds Oaks. Trained by Kenny McPeek for the Normandy Farm of Nancy Polk, Daddys Lil Darling finished the 1 5/16-mile distance in a course-record 2:10.97 before returning $4 as favorite in a field of nine. The homebred 3-year-old daughter of the late Scat Daddy now has three wins and four seconds in 12 career starts. Although it was her first victory in nearly a year, she had been facing top-class fillies, both on dirt and turf, including a runner-up finish behind Abel Tasman in the Kentucky Oaks in May. “This was the first time I rode her on the grass,” said Leparoux, who rode her in the Kentucky Oaks and other dirt races. “She traveled very good, all the way on the bridle. When I got her outside, she just cruised to the leaders, did it very easy and kept on going very nicely. She did it very impressive today.” McPeek, who was traveling Sunday after an overseas trip, had said beforehand he hoped to run Daddys Lil Darling next in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 14. Summer Luck, near the pace throughout, held well to be second under Jose Ortiz, with La Manta Gris finishing third. The $2 exacta (1-3) paid $13.40, the $1 trifecta (1-3-4) returned $29.80, and the 10-cent superfecta (1-3-4-6) was worth $35.45. Kasuga, Special Ops earn spots in Claiming Crown Kasuga and Special Ops both earned automatic berths into the Dec. 2 Claiming Crown by posting front-running victories in qualifiers on the Sunday undercard. Kasuga ($5.40), making her first start in the care of trainer Bill Mott, won race 6 at 6 1/2 furlongs under Jose Lezcano. Some 30 minutes later, Special Ops ($11) took race 7 when going a mile and 70 yards for jockey Ortiz and trainer Mike Maker. Sunday probably closing day The fifth and last program of the 2017 Kentucky Downs meet is scheduled for Thursday – but with the remnants of Hurricane Irma headed in this direction, chances appeared iffy Sunday that the 10-race card will actually be run, although track president Corey Johnsen said he is  “hoping and planning” to run. A makeup date is not feasible with Churchill Downs starting an 11-day meet Friday.