Laurel Park: Dean Delivers looks to defend De Francis Dash title

Dean Delivers defends his title Saturday at Laurel Park in the $175,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs.

The De Francis Dash is one of four stakes on the 12-race program. The special first post time is 12:05 pm EDT, and Laurel Park offers two Value Pick 5 wagers with a 12% takeout rate.

Dean Delivers wired the field as the betting favorite in last year’s De Francis Dash for trainer Ned Allard and jockey Jaime Rodriguez. The 6-year-old gelding won four stakes last year after being transferred to Allard’s care and placed third in the Grade 3 Vosburgh at Aqueduct. 

He finished third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths in his seasonal debut, Monmouth’s Mr. Prospector on May 26.

“He’s doing super,” Allard said. “He just got beat a little bit in the Mr. Prospector, and it’s tough to come back and win a stake first out off a long break. I think he benefited by that, and I think he’ll be really tough.”

Although Dean Delivers went right to the front last year, Allard doesn’t believe his charge needs the lead to be successful.

Subrogate earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure when winning a high-level allowance last summer, then went to the sidelines following a sixth-place finish in Saratoga’s Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) on July 27.

“He had a quarter crack in his foot,” said trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. “It was a little bit more severe than your regular quarter crack. He needed time to grow the foot out. We were debating to take him to Florida (for the winter), but those extra two, three months (off) probably were going to do him better.”

Subrogate also made his 2025 debut in the Mr. Prospector, finishing second following a ground-saving trip after breaking from the rail.

“Tough post,” Duarte said. “He kept digging. He’s a nice horse to have around, that’s for sure. I think a track like Laurel will suit him well, and we’re ready to go on Saturday.”

Duarte believes that Subrogate will be close to the lead.

Eleven-time winner Super Chow is nearing millionaire status, and he has done good work in Maryland. He grabbed a first-level allowance at Pimlico as a 2-year-old and returned to Old Hilltop last year to wire the field in the Maryland Sprint (G3).

Although the 5-year-old finished fourth in the Mr. Prospector, he has already won two stakes this year, including Monmouth’s off-turf Get Serious on June 15. Jorge Delgado trains for Lea Farms.

Celtic Contender is one of the top Maryland-bred sprinters around, having prevailed in last year’s Maryland Million Sprint. Although winless from three starts this year, the 4-year-old Irish War Cry colt placed second in the General George on Feb. 15 and ran third in the Maryland Sprint last month.

Caramel Chip, second in Tampa Bay’s Pelican Stakes earlier this year, finished second when entered for a $175,000 claiming tag at Churchill Downs on May 16. The third-place finisher of that race, Durante, returned to upset the Aristides (G3) there 15 days later.

Trainer Anthony Farrior entered two for the De Francis Dash. Richard Burnsworth’s stakes-placed Faster Gator is a 3-year-old trying older foes for the first time after finishing seventh in Pimlico’s Chick Lang on May 17. James Wolf’s Petingas Twin is a four-time winner. He placed fourth in his seasonal debut, a high-level allowance on June 6.

Happy Is a Choice cross-entered in Saturday’s Kelly’s Landing (G3) at Churchill and will compete there, according to trainer John Ortiz.