Heavily favored Summer Laugh barely holds off Days Like This

Summer Laugh, stretching out around two turns after a convincing win sprinting in her career debut nearly two months ago at Saratoga, held off Days Like This by a head to win Saturday’s $75,000 Blue Hen Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Delaware Park.

Ridden by Fernando Jara for trainer Todd Pletcher, the heavily favored Summer Laugh ($3.20) survived a stretch duel with second-time starter Days Like This, ridden by Terry Thompson. The pair finished 19 1/4 lengths in front of third-place Summer Soiree in a field reduced to five by the scratches of Summer Laugh’s two stablemates, Dixie City and Probe.

Summer Laugh, owned by Edward P. Evans, completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.50.

Ima Wild Pussycat, the 3-1 second choice, broke down in the stretch and was vanned off.