Gift of Gab surged past her rivals in the final sixteenth of a mile to capture Saturday’s featured sixth race at Delaware Park, a five-furlong allowance optional claiming event for fillies and mares on the turf.

Trained by Suzanne Stettinius and ridden by Carol Cedeno, the 5-year-old Maryland-bred mare launched a five-wide rally turning for home and overhauled the pacesetters with a powerful late kick to score by 1 1/4 lengths. The victory marked her fourth win in 10 starts since joining the Stettinius barn and her sixth overall from 21 lifetime outings. She has now earned $215,925 for breeders and owners Ann W. Merryman and Richard F. Blue Jr.

The win came in her third start of the 2025 season and followed a strong third-place effort in the May 16 The Very One Stakes at Pimlico, where she was narrowly denied late. On Saturday, Gift of Gab would not be denied, finishing strongly in :58.10 for the five furlongs over a “good” turf course.

Angel Art, at nearly 20-1 odds, closed stoutly from midpack to claim second, while Sugar Bee finished evenly to hold third. Song of Norway, who led early along with Mudslide, faded through the lane to be eighth, while even-money favorite Independenceavenue failed to fire and checked in fifth.

Gift of Gab returned $7.20 to win, $4.20 to place, and $3.20 to show. The $1 exacta with Angel Art paid $42.80, and the $0.50 trifecta with Sugar Bee returned $135.95.

The victory was the first of 2025 for Stettinius and the third of the meet for Cedeno.