Luv Your Neighbor made a three-wide move coming into the stretch on her way to victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Delaware Oaks to give the 3-year-old daughter of Constitution her first stakes win.
Luv Your Neighbor has been facing the best of her generation, and had never been worse than third, in five stakes, four of them graded, going back to last December.
On Saturday she would prove best over several of those foes with a well-timed ride from Luis Saez. Settling nicely while well off the fence, she sat a few lengths behind the leaders after a half-mile of :47.82. Going into the final turn, Luv Your Neighbor closed steadily and took the lead turning for home. Through the lane she outran Jumping the Gun to win by 1 ¼-lengths in 1:44.05 for the 1 1/16-miles on a fast track.
“She has run against the very best 3-year-old fillies and it was just a matter of time before she got her day and today was the day,” said winning trainer Michael Stidham. “[Jockey Luis] Saez has ridden her multiple times and he has gotten to know her. In a couple of her races, he has kind of used her to be close to the pace. Today, he sat a little bit off of it and he made is move when he needed to do it.”
Bred in Canada by Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. & 552727 Ontario LTD, Luv Your Neighbor is owned by Lael Stables, who purchased her for $350,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September sale. Luv Your Neighbor is now 2-5-1 in nine starts and has earned $474,271.
Pedigree Notes from the TDN:
With her Delaware Oaks victory, Luv Your Neighbor gives Constitution his 41st career graded stakes winner. Her dam Disobedient produced a colt by Constitution last season and was bred back to the WinStar stallion. This represents the extended family of Champion grass mare and multiple Grade I/Group 1-winner Tepin.
