beaten nearly 2 ½-lengths as the 4-to-5 favorite in a mile and a sixteenth turf allowance at Delaware Park today.

"It looks like he needed this race and the breeze," said trainer Mary Hartmann. "We are not sure where we will go next. We are just going to take this one in and go from there."

Mikoshi, ridden by Ferando Jara, won by a neck and returned $6.60 as the second choice in the field of six. Hugo, with Anna Napravnik finished second a nose in front of Silver Eagle, with Gabriel Saez, in third. The final time for the mile and a sixteenth over a firm turf course was 1:40.86.

Coming into the race today, Presious Passion, a 7-year-old Florida-bred son of Royal Anthem had made only three starts in 2010. On February 28, he posted a 1 ¼-length score in the Grade II MacDiarmida at Gulfstream Park. He followed by running last in the Grade I Guangsha Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in the United Arab Emirates on March 27. In his most recent, he ran seventh in the Grade III Monmouth on June 12.

Last year, Presious Passion posted a record of four wins and three seconds from nine starts with earnings of $1,524,275 including victories in the Grade I Clement Hirsch at Santa Anita and the Grade I United Nations at Monmouth and a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita in November.

His career record is 14 wins, seven seconds and two thirds from 47 starts.