Subrogate delivered a top performance Saturday at Laurel Park, surging late to win the $175,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash and give jockey Horacio Karamanos a birthday to remember.

The victory marked the first stakes triumph for the 5-year-old son of Arrogate and a breakthrough De Francis win for trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr.

The race, contested over six furlongs on a fast main track, was expected to be a clash of speedy contenders, and it delivered early fireworks. Celtic Contender, despite stumbling at the break, quickly recovered to grab the lead and set strong early fractions of 22.64 and 45.55 with Dean Delivers in closest attendance.

Subrogate, sent off as the 8-5 favorite, tracked in third under Karamanos, who celebrated his 50th birthday in style with his fourth career win in the De Francis. Karamanos previously won this race with Action Andy (2012), Chublicious (2017), and Laki (2020).

“My horse broke OK but not really sharp, so I let him pass the seven [Dean Delivers] in upper stretch,” Karamanos said. “I waited for a moment, paused, then I started to let him pick it up because he’s a long-striding horse.”

Subrogate ranged up three wide leaving the turn and began to bear in, refusing to switch leads.

“He didn’t want to switch leads… That’s when I grabbed him, and he kicked back again,” Karamanos added.

Subrogate edged past the game Celtic Contender in late strides and pulled clear to win by one length in a final time of 1:10.53. Caramel Chip rallied strongly for third while in tight quarters in late stages, while Dean Delivers, the defending champ, faded to fourth.

Trainer Jorge Duarte, Jr., praised both horse and rider: “I think the horses that were in front, they were hanging in there pretty tough. I think my horse kept digging… My horse is steady, and he just keeps grinding.”

Subrogate, owned by Colts Neck Stables LLC, went off the slight favorite and returned $5.40 to win and now boasts five victories from ten starts and earnings of more than $375,000.

He was making just his second start off a long layoff, having finished second in the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth last month. He was in top form in the middle of last year, winning three consecutive allowance races with a top Beyer speed figure of 106. Then he ran poorly when last in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt.

Duarte said patience paid off following that up-and-down 2024 campaign.

“He was running so big [last year], you know, you’re scared he’s gonna bounce. And he finally did in the in the Vanderbilt, you know, but you know, the owner is very patient,” Duarte said. “We thought the best thing for the horse to get him through the winter, and that’s what we did.

With Saturday’s performance, Subrogate added his name to the list of De Francis winners, cementing his return to form and setting the stage for more graded stakes ambitions later this season.

“This is not an easy race to win in any given year,” Duarte said. “So we’re excited.”