Divine Oath seeks better pace setup in Turf Cup

Divine Oath and St. Albans Boy were both compromised by a slow early pace in the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland last time out. They will meet again Saturday in the $100,000 Laurel Turf Cup at Laurel Park.

The Laurel Turf Cup, a 1 1/2-mile marathon, has attracted a field of 10. It goes as race 4 at 2:06 p.m.

Divine Oath, trained by Graham Motion, was sent off at 7-2 in the Sycamore and finished fifth. St. Albans Boy, trained by Kelly Rubley, finished third at 17-1. Although both horses are winless this year, they face easier company Saturday and figure as prime contenders.

The 1 1/2-mile Sycamore had a dawdling pace of 51.86 seconds and 1:17.82, with the first 1 1/4 miles going in 2:09.68 over firm turf. The final quarter went in a more reasonable 23.38, and the Motion-trained Holiday Star came from just off the pace to win by a half-length.

St. Albans Boy gained some ground late to be beaten one length. Divine Oath finished two lengths farther back in fifth.

Divine Oath was transferred to Motion over the summer and has raced twice for him. Two starts back, he finished second to Cage Fighter in the President’s Cup at Parx Racing. Cage Fighter is scheduled to start Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland.

With a fair pace, Divine Oath is the horse to beat in the Laurel Turf Cup.

Uncle Dave comes into the Laurel Turf Cup off two wins for trainer Marcos Zulueta and could be the controlling speed. Uncle Dave won the Alphabet Soup Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at Parx in September and before that took a second-level optional-claiming race at the Bensalem, Pa., track.

Perfect Title is a contender for James Lawrence II, who also trains Cage Fighter. Perfect Title won a second-level optional claimer on turf at Saratoga two starts ago. Last time out, he finished sixth in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park.