Delaware Park: Grace Hall cruises to Delaware Oaks victory

Hoofprints Inc.

Grace Hall wins the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks by 3 3/4 lengths.

Grace Hall, the 2-5 favorite, drew off to a 3 3/4-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

The outcome was never in doubt.

Grace Hall and jockey Javier Castellano sat a golden trip, running fourth as Wicked Mizz, Amie’s Dini, and Aubby K set the pace in a tight pack.

Grace Hall picked up the tempo on the final turn, stacking four wide. She took charge in the upper stretch and easily held off a late run from Via Villaggio.

It was another victory in a glittering career. She took the Grade 1 Spinaway in her second start last season and closed out the campaign with a second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

This season, Grace Hall won the Gulfstream Park Oaks and was third in her previous effort, the Kentucky Oaks.

With the latest victory, Grace Hall improved to 3 for 3 at Delaware Park. She won here at first asking last July and returned to capture the Blue Hen Stakes in October.

Grace Hall gave trainer Tony Dutrow his first win in the Delaware Oaks. Dutrow also saddled Wicked Mizz.

Singlet and Morrow Cove were scratched, reducing the field to five.

Singlet would have been part of a Dutrow-trained entry with Grace Hall. Morrow Cove is entered Sunday in the $75,000 Serena’s Song Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Dick Memorial: Starformer goes all the way

Edgar Prado did a masterful job backing down the pace as Starformer led all the way to win the Grade 3, $200,000  Robert Dick Memorial for fillies and mares on turf.

After setting comfortable fractions of 25.59 seconds, 50.56, 1:15.90, and 1:40.10, Starformer pulled clear in the lane for a three-length win, her third win in 10 starts.

It was her second U.S. win to go along with an allowance victory at Gulfstream Park over the winter. The other victory for the Juddmonte Farm homebred came in France last year.

A 4-year-old trained by Bill Mott, Starformer ran the 1 3/8 miles in 2:15.19. She paid $10 to win.

Bubbly Jane, the 19-10 favorite, made a five-wide move on the final turn to get second, with Sikara third. Team was fourth, followed by Dinner’s Out, Sex Appeal, Namaskara, and Senada.