Divine Oath found the waters of Saturday's GIII Kent S. far shallower than those of his most recent appearance in the GI Secretariat S. and took advantage of his inside draw to score as the odds-on favorite. Winner of his first two career starts over the Gulfstream turf course, Divine Oath failed to draw into the full starting gate for the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 12, but took his spot in the field for the GIII Coolmore Lexington S. a week later and gave an excellent account of himself when runner-up to future GI Belmont Derby hero Mr Speaker (Pulpit). A never-nearer fourth behind Bobby's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) in the May 31 Penn Mile S., the bay got a late rail split to score by a half-length in the GIII American Derby at Arlington July 12, but fell nearly 20 lengths out of it in the Secretariat Aug. 16 and could do no better than sixth behind Adelaide (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). With nothing remotely of that caliber in this event, Divine Oath scraped the paint from mid-field as Toronto Cup hero Lafontaine (Artie Schiller) set decent fractions up from. They fanned out four across the track as heads were turned for home, but Jose Caraballo rolled the dice up the pine, and the gap came again in the nick of time for the Let's Go runner, who proved a comfortable winner in the finish.
Saturday, Delaware
KENT S.-GIII, $150,250, DEL, 9-20, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:47 3/5, fm.
1–DIVINE OATH, 120, c, 3, by Broken Vow
1st Dam: Rejoicing, by Forestry
2nd Dam: Pennant Champion, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Personal Ensign, by Private Account
($200,000 yrl '12 KEESEP). O-Let's Go Stable;
B-Sanford R Robertson (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher;
J-Jose C Caraballo. $90,000. Lifetime Record:
7-4-1-0, $335,850. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
*Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bashart, 116, c, 3, War Front–Busy Windsong, by
Clever Trick. ($65,000 RNA wlng '11 KEENOV;
$185,000 RNA yrl '12 KEESEP; $195,000 RNA 2yo
'13 KEEAPR). O/B-Rosedown Racing (KY); T-Michael
R Matz. $30,000.
3–Other Cheek, 116, c, 3, Smart Strike–Nice Nelly, by
Seattle Slew. O-Lael Stables; B-Mr & Mrs M Roy
Jackson (KY); T-Arnaud Delacour. $16,500.
Margins: 3/4, 1, HD. Odds: 0.80, 5.30, 12.30.
Also Ran: Lafontaine, Craftsman (Ire), Cabo Cat, Gadget Man.
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