Resume Topper Lael Stables’ Luv Your Neighbor earned graded stakes winner status after taking the $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) on Saturday at Delaware Park. It was a well-earned breakthrough for the 3-year-old daughter of Constitution–Disobedient, who in three starts at the Grade 2 level coming in recorded a pair of seconds and a third. The strong-willed 1 ¼-length tally under rider Luis Saez marked the Michael Stidham trainee’s first trip to the winner’s circle since her maiden-breaker last September. Up to 2-5-1 with nearly $475,000 in prizes on her scorecard, Luv Your Neighbor (2-1) paid $6.80. Put it on the Board Chilean-bred Dona Clota picked up her first win on American soil with a narrow decision in Saturday’s $250,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial (G3T) at Delaware Park. The pulse-pounding victory by a neck over 8-1 rival Alluring Angel (GB) was a long-overdue moment of validation for the veteran Saffie Joseph, Jr. charge after five winless outings away from home. A multiple Group 1 winner in her native Chile (Nacional Ricardo Lyon, El Ensayo MEGA), Dona Clota is a 5-year-old daughter of Ivan Denisovich (IRE)–Delfa (CHI). Now standing at 5-2-3 across 17 lifetime starts ($313,752), Dona Clota paid $5.20 as the 8-5 choice. Right on Time East Avenue had just enough left in the tank to sneak past 4-5 favourite Bishops Bay by a nose in the $156,000 Salvator Mile (G3) on Saturday at Monmouth Park. The Medaglia d’Oro bay, who joined the lifetime millionaire club earlier this season, showed tremendous grit to get up past the leader for his first win of the campaign. Trained by Brendan Walsh for breeder/owner Godolphin, East Avenue is now a three-time graded stakes winner with the Salvator Mile joining the 2024 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and 2025 Matt Winn (G3). Victorious four times from 11 starts (4-2-0; $1,131,245), East Avenue (5-2) paid $7.20. Worth the Wait It was a memorable season debut for Omaha Beach colt Freedom’s Not Free, who displayed tremendous patience to steal Saturday’s $100,000 Daytona (G3T) at Santa Anita. Situated seventh of eleven through the stretch, the Juan Hernandez mount’s drive never waned in a dazzling comeback that saw him slide past 2-1 choice Sumter by a nose. The first graded badge of Freedom Not Free’s career joined last year’s Pasadena Stakes and Cinema Stakes atop his list of achievements. Conditioned by Mark Glatt, the 4-year-old out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Wonderfuladventure now sports a 4-2-3 line with over $343,000 banked from 10 starts. At 5-1, she paid $12.20. Par for the Course California circuit star Gold Phoenix (IRE) more than rose to the occasion in Sunday’s $100,000 San Juan Capistrano (G3T), capturing the 1 ¾-mile Santa Anita turf feature by five lengths. Competing for longtime trainer Phil D’Amato, the 8-year-old son of Belardo (IRE)–Magnifica took full advantage of his heavy favourite status, crossing the wire with the utmost confidence under rider Hector Berrios. The 10th graded triumph of Gold Phoenix’s magnificent career elevated the chestnut to 12-3-5 across 33 starts ($2,437,087). At 2-5 Sunday, he paid $2.80. Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
