Delaware Park will mark a historic milestone this Saturday as it hosts the first-ever running of the $200,000 Delaware Derby, drawing an intriguing cast of 3-year-olds looking to add their names to the record books. The 1 1/16-mile contest attracted a competitive and diverse group, with stakes winners and local hopefuls all vying to etch their place in the inaugural edition of this new Derby.

Admiral Dennis (3-1), trained by Brad Cox for the Albaugh Family Stables, arrives as the likely favorite off a respectable fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland. The chestnut son of Constitution has proven class and speed and looms large if he brings his A-game.

Another horse coming out of top-level company is Surfside Moon (5-1), who has quietly built a solid résumé. Though his lone win came on turf, the Malibu Moon colt has held his own on dirt with a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Withers and a fourth in the Grade 3 Peter Pan. He will be ridden by Junior Alvarado for trainer James Lawrence.

“I could not be happier with him, but I have not been happy with some of his recent trips,” Lawrence said. “In his last race, he kind of got shut off twice and the jockey Junior (Alvarado) came back and told me he thought we should have been second.  In some of his other outings, he had some trouble so that has been frustrating as well, but he is a really cool horse and he kind of takes everything in stride.”

Trainer Henry Walters sends out Barbadian Runner (10-1), a Maryland-bred who enters off a dominant 7¼-length victory in the off-the-turf Jersey Derby at Monmouth Park. A three-time stakes winner, Barbadian Runner has given his trainer the biggest wins of his career and should not be overlooked breaking from the rail under Forest Boyce.

Barbadian Runner is, along with Kentucky Outlaw and National Law, cross-entered in the Pegasus at Monmouth Park.

Kentucky Outlaw (6-1) also brings strong recent form, having captured the Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park in May. The Outwork colt has won three of four starts and will look to extend his winning ways for trainer-owner Felissa Dunn with Paco Lopez aboard.

National Law (12-1) has won two straight, including a first-level allowance at Pimlico, for Jorge Duarte Jr. A gray son of Constitution, he overcame a tough trip last time and might be peaking at the right time.

Omaha Omaha was on the Derby trail for much of the winter, amassing points in the Jerome, Withers, and Virginia Derby. But his last effort to accrue sufficient points, in the Grade 2 Wood Memorial, went poorly. He’ll make his first start since in the Delaware Derby.

“We freshened him a little bit after kind of a hard campaign earlier in the year,” said trainer Michael Gorham from his barn at Delaware Park.   “He is a tough horse and he has faced some very good ones in the division, so we are excited to take a shot at the Delaware Derby with him.”

A potential upset candidate is Pascaline (10-1), a West Virginia-bred by Upstart who gets blinkers for the first time. Trained by Arnaud Delacour, he was third in the Long Branch and owns a stakes win last fall at Laurel.

On the local front, Academy (6-1) enters off a sharp maiden victory over the Delaware Park strip in May for Graham Motion and top jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. The son of Oscar Performance impressed in his dirt debut and appears to be progressing quickly.

Sacred Thunder (8-1) brings a consistent résumé into the race with a stakes win at Laurel last fall, though he’ll need to bounce back from a troubled trip in the Federico Tesio. “A grinder,” trainer Gary Capuano calls him.

“He is a very solid horse,” said Capuano. “He has had some tough breaks in many of his races.”

La Houligan (15-1) recently broke his maiden in maiden auction company at Churchill last out and will get the services of Hall of Famer John Velazquez. All of his starts to date have been at Oaklawn and Churchill – two tough places to win with a sophomore.

“I expect him to run well,” said trainer Greg Compton. “The last race really did not set up for him. He rated off a very slow pace and wore them down on the outside. He overcame a lot in that race, and he ran well enough for us to take a shot at winning the first Delaware Derby ever.”

Late Nite Call, the lone filly in the field, is cross-entered in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks and likely will head in that direction.

Post time for Saturday’s card is 12:35, with the Delaware Derby the eighth race on a 10-race program.

DELAWARE DERBY ENTRIES