Delaware: Martha's Moon handles first route assignment in Blue Hen

Martha’s Moon, stretching out from five furlongs to a mile and 70 yards while making her first start since she was privately purchased in Florida, cruised to an easy wire-to-wire victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Blue Hen Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Delaware Park.

Making her Delaware debut for new owner Fox Hill Farm and trainer John Servis, Martha’s Moon ($13) quickly outbroke her five rivals from post 6 and opened up a 2 1/2-length lead as the field went into the clubhouse turn. Under jockey Javier Santiago, Martha’s Moon increased her advantage to as much as five lengths through a half-mile in 47.69 seconds. She was still comfortably in front through six furlongs in 1:12.84.

Kimono, the 4-5 favorite and one of two fillies entered by trainer Todd Pletcher, and 32-1 longshot My Sonata, a maiden making her fifth start, mounted a brief challenge at the leader coming into the stretch but she drew clear and crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths in front while completing the distance in 1:43.93.

A daughter of Malibu Moon who began her career at Calder, Martha’s Moon has now won 3 of 5 starts and $83,450. She was racing beyond six furlongs and around two turns for the first time.

Danalake got second, a neck in front of her uncoupled stablemate, Kimono.