The 74th running of the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on Saturday will coincide with the first running of the $200,000 Delaware Derby, a new stakes race at Delaware Park intended to attract top 3-year-olds at the start of their summer season. Admiral Dennis, fourth-place finisher in the Grade 1 Blue Grass, will be the inaugural morning-line favorite Saturday. “He’s been a little sluggish from the gate in a few of his starts,” Cox said. “I think it’s important that he breaks well.” Admiral Dennis was clearly intended for the Triple Crown, but he got in his own way a few too many times. After losing all chance in the Grade 2 Rebel when ceding 24 lengths out of the gate, Cox’s colt stayed in touch near the back of the Blue Grass field and closed for fourth, earning a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. After that improved performance, Cox decided to keep him away from the Triple Crown and prepare him for his summer campaign. “We did a lot with him in a short period of time,” Cox said. “We tried to get him ready for the Blue Grass and just thought that we’d hit the brakes a little bit, let the Derby and Preakness scene roll along, and regroup for something.” Four 3-year-olds in the field of 11 are cross-entered. Late Nite Call, a filly trained by Niall Saville, also is in the Oaks field and will probably run there instead. The trainer said he will make his decision Saturday morning. The other three are all cross-entered in the $150,000 Pegasus, another 1 1/16-mile stakes race Saturday at Monmouth Park. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Trainer Felissa Dunn said that she intends to send Kentucky Outlaw to Delaware. The front-running colt won the $100,000 Long Branch at Monmouth last time out, but the Delaware Derby may set up better for early speed. Barbadian Runner, a three-time stakes winner trained by Henry Walters, may not run in either race. If he does, he will come to Delaware. National Law, winner in his last two starts for trainer Jorge Duarte, will likely make his stakes debut in the Pegasus. Cape Henlopen Stakes Trainer Madison Meyers has spent the past several months looking for longer races for 4-year-old gelding Desvio. A prime opportunity will fall in her lap Saturday at Delaware Park. Two weeks ago, the $200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes was postponed due to heavy rain. The 1 1/2-mile turf race was originally too soon after the Grade 3 Dinner Party at Pimlico, where Desvio mustered a furious drive to finish third at 47-1 odds. With the postponement, however, it might be perfect spot for the improving route runner. “It’s a tough race, but he’s kind of been dying for this stretch-out,” Meyers said. While Meyers relishes the opportunity to give her gelding more distance, other trainers in the field of 11 are regarding the Cape Henlopen as a trickier puzzle. Trainer Rick Dutrow is hesitantly committed to the Delaware race after cross-entering 9-year-old ridgling Master Piece in the $150,000 Monmouth Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on Saturday. The graded stakes winner is trying to bounce back from two poor performances in New York. “He’s doing great. He’s the same horse to us, but he’s nine now,” Dutrow said. “He’s running with these 4- and 5-year-old fellas that are just younger. What are you going to do? He’s going to try as hard as he can.” Saffie Joseph Jr. also said that the distance might be a challenge for 7-year-old gelding Harrow. Though he has a win going 1 1/2 miles, the trainer is concerned about his ability coming off a layoff. Joseph sent him to Barbados to win a $107,000 stakes race in March. Kay Army, the 5-2 morning-line favorite making his second North American start for trainer Bill Mott, won two races at this distance in Chile. In his 5-year-old debut at Aqueduct last time out, he finished third in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy traveling 1 1/8 miles. Obeah Stakes This year’s running of the $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park is largely defined by its cross-entered horses, and all eyes were on Mark Hennig and 4-year-old filly Gun Song throughout the week. The trainer said Thursday morning that he is favoring a trip to Delaware over the $100,000 Lady’s Secret at Monmouth Park. The obvious class in the field of seven, Gun Song’s sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 Ruffian last month does little to diminish her best performances last year. The filly won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan before finishing second in the Grade 1 Cotillion and Grade 2 Mother Goose in the fall. Those performances earned her 9-5 morning-line favoritism in the Obeah on Saturday. Todd Pletcher also entered 4-year-old filly Into Amore in the Lady’s Secret and was undecided about her destination Wednesday. Sidamara, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, will make her 4-year-old debut for Mott. The filly struggled in the Grade 1 Cotillion in September and has not raced since, but a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks last year gives her a potential edge over this surface. Morning Matcha, a 6-year-old mare trained by Butch Reid, also ran in the Grade 2 Ruffian last time out, finishing ahead of Gun Song in fourth at 27-1 odds. She is a consistent outsider in the somewhat volatile field. Alapocas Run Stakes Trainer Ned Allard still believes in 4-year-old gelding Sunny Breeze, who will make his second start of the year in the $100,000 Alapocas Run Stakes on Saturday. He has him cross-entered in a turf race at Monmouth Park, but if all things being equal, he intends to stay home. “It’s not an easy spot, but his good races last year would certainly give him a hell of a shot,” Allard said. Allard’s gelding showed plenty of promise in three straight victories to start his career, but he hinted at even more later in his 3-year-old campaign. Dueling around the track at Parx Racing, the speedy runner earned a 100 Beyer finishing second by a neck in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob. His next performance in a stakes at Mahoning Valley didn’t stack up, and his 2025 debut in a strong Delaware allowance was even worse. If the gelding can get comfortable, however, Allard likes his chances at this level, but even he acknowledges that he won’t be alone near the finish. Full Moon Madness, a 5-year-old gelding trained by Michelle Nevin, has run in three straight graded stakes races at Aqueducr, including a victory in the Grade 3 Tom Fool. His fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 John A. Nerud last month was not as sharp, but he remains the horse to beat. Buccherino, a 4-year-old colt trained by Alfredo Velazquez, could be one of several runners who joins Sunny Breeze in the early going. The third-place finisher behind Allard’s gelding in the Gallant Bob, he has come back to win two races this year, including the $100,000 Mr. Prospector at Monmouth. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.