Luna Time wins first stakes in Obeah

Luna Time returned from a four-month layoff to score a 15-1 upset Saturday in the Grade 3 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park. Her win gave trainer Graham Motion a sweep of the two stakes on the card.

The Obeah is Luna Time’s first stakes victory. The 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon had finished third in her stakes debut in the $100,000 Maryland Media in February at Laurel Park.

Natalie Victoria set the early pace in the Obeah while being pushed along by Montana Native. On the far turn, Luna Time and jockey Forest Boyce made a sharp three-wide move to challenge for the lead. She got the upper hand over Montana Native in upper stretch and drew off for a three-length victory.

“I was loaded for bear today,” Boyce said. “She never ever really relaxed 100 percent, but she kept getting stronger, which gave me confidence. When I did ask her at three-eighths pole, she really responded.”

The early fractions in the 1 1/8-mile Obeah were slow with Natalie Victoria being clocked in 24.43 seconds, 49.51, and 1:13.24. Luna Time covered a mile in 1:37.44 and completed the course in 1:49.58.

Joint Return, the 5-2 favorite, lagged far back during the slow early going, trailing the second to last horse by about six lengths on the backstretch. She found her best stride on the far turn, was taken well out in the course for the stretch run by jockey Kendrick Carmouche, then finished strongly to best Montana Native by a neck for second.

The $100,000 Obeah is the local prep for the Grade 1, $750,000 Delaware Handicap on July18. The 1 1/4-mile distance of that race should be right up Joint Return’s alley.

Fortune Pearl rallied willingly for fourth, 1 1/2 lengths behind Montana Native.

Luna Time paid $32.80 to win while improving her record to four wins, a second, and a third from nine starts. Bred in Maryland by her owners, Dorsey Brown and Richard Palmer, Luna Time now has earnings of $195,073.

Stanton: Donworth romps in off-the-turf stakes

Donworth looked terrific romping to victory over five outclassed rivals in the $50,000 Stanton Stakes for 3-year-olds at Delaware Park.

The Stanton Stakes originally was scheduled for turf with a field of 11, but there were five scratches after the race was shifted to the main track.

Donworth, who would have been making his turf debut, was hammered down to 1-5 odds and made the price look fair while winning by 11 lengths. Jockey Trevor McCarthy never asked Donworth for his best, while sitting motionless the length of the stretch.

Donworth, a son of Tiznow trained by Motion, now is 2 for 4. He won his maiden in March at Gulfstream Park and finished second in the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland and third in the restricted Sir Barton Stakes prior to the Stanton.

Donworth’s effort resulted in a minus show pool as $107,742 of the $113,352 bet to show was on him.

Donworth was timed for the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.54, just 0.02 seconds off the Delaware Park track record, which was set by Lies of Omission in 1998.

Dukin’ With Dale, part of a John Servis-trained entry, finished second. Tiz My Valentine was third. Fantasize stumbled at the start.