WILMINGTON, DE – Last year’s champion juvenile filly finally found her way back to the winner’s circle on Saturday when D. J. Stable and Cash is King’s Jaywalk took the field gate to wire in the $300,000 Delaware Oaks (G3) at Delaware Park.
Breaking from post 5 under Joe Bravo as the 7/5 second choice while sporting blinkers for the first time, Jaywalk quickly took charge on the front end while running one lane off of the rail. Uncontested in the early portion, Jaywalk posted fractions of :24.12, :47.77, and 1:10.72 while the 4/5 favorite Fashion Faux Pas stalked from second.
Midway through the far turn, Fashion Faux Pas made a bid, but her challenge was short-lived. Jaywalk easily repelled the bettors’ choice before straightening for home, then steadily widened her lead with every step. Geared down late, the John Servis trainee crossed with a 9-length advantage in a final time of 1:43.21 for the 1 1/16-mile event over the fast main track.
“That was my girl today,” Servis said. “It felt very very good when she started opening up. You know, with horses, sometimes you got to figure them out, and we get caught up in the shuffle sometimes and you got to go back to square one.”
Though no match for the winner, Fashion Faux Pas was still 4 lengths clear of her remaining foes. Ujjayi headed Afleet Destiny for third, while behind them came Avalina and Gotta Be Strong to complete the order of finish.
Our Super Freak, a coupled entry along with Gotta Be Strong, was listed as a trainer scratch.
Jaywalk’s win was her first since capturing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) last fall and improved her overall record to 9-5-1-1 with $1,611,500 earned. The 3-year-old daughter of Cross Traffic had been winless in her three prior starts this year, finishing fourth in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2), third in the Ashland Stakes (G1), and 13th in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
“When she came back after her first race earlier in the year, I thought maybe she needed the race, so I started bearing down on her a little bit with her works and that is probably the worst thing I could have done,” Servis said. “She just did not respond well to it. She is the kind of filly that can go out there and work fast, and you saw the fractions today and he did not lay the stick on her, so we just wiped the slate clean, gave her a little bit of time, and freshened her. We went back to the old routine with what we did last year, with the two-minute licks and putting those long, quicker miles in her, and she responded.”
Jaywalk returned $4.80 to win, $2.60 to place, and $2.20 to show. Fashion Faux Pas brought back $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show, while Ujjayi paid $6.40 to show.
