Thorn Song opened up a 1 1/2 length lead down the backstretch while setting easy fractions of 24.02, 48.30, and 1:12.90, with Ruff and Ready stalking him down the backstretch. Turning for home, Kip Deville, who raced close up in fourth most of the way, moved out three wide and closed the gap, taking over the lead at the 3/16 pole. Under strong urging by jockey Cornelio Velasquez, he easily held off Einstein by a length at the line, completing the trip in 1:36.78 on good turf. It was another head back to pacesetter Thorn Song third.
Winning trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said, "We gave him a couple months off, just walking, kept him in the barn. But when we put the tack back on, every day has been a good day for Kip Deville. This was all by design. We targeted this race after the Breeders' Cup and at times things don’t work out the way you plan it, but Kip made sure it worked out this time. It's going to be trouble to get me to run him back until the Woodbine Mile (in September)."
Results chart
