Dynaformer and Tsarbaby Finish 1-2 in Jersey Derby

Dynaformer closed along the rail and edged entrymate Tsarbaby by a half-length Monday to win the $500,000 Jersey Derby at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill, N.J., and give trainer Wayne Lukas a victory over rival Woody Stephens.

Dynaformer covered the 1 miles in 2:02 4/5 to earn the $300,000 first prize in the Grade II stakes.

Craig Perret drew Dynaformer even with Tsarbaby at the final turn and outdueled jockey Herb McCauley and Tsarbaby.

Cefis, trained by Stephens, rallied from 15 lengths off the lead to finish third and take $55,000.

Dynaformer and Tsarbaby, coupled in the betting, returned $6.80, $6.40 and $3.60. Cefis returned $3.40.

Gulch became only the second horse to win the Metropolitan Handicap two years in a row when he came back in the stretch to beat Afleet at Belmont Park in the $586,000 first leg of New York’s handicap triple crown.

Ridden by Jose Santos and carrying 125 pounds, the 4-year-old colt matched the feat of Forego in 1976 and ’77 in winning the event two straight years. The purse of $351,600 raised his career earnings to $2,384,881.

Afleet, carrying 124 pounds including Gary Stahlbaum, was second by a half-length with Stacked Pack, with 110 pounds including Pat Day, another length back in third.

They were followed by Talinum, King’s Swan, Peppy Le Pew, Abject and Its Academic.

Gulch won in 1:34 3-5 for the mile for his fourth victory in five starts this year. Gulch covered the 7 furlongs in 1:20 2/5, just one-fifth of a second off Dr. Fager’s track record.

Gulch, coupled with Talinum in a Wayne Lukas-trained entry, went off as the second choice in the field of eight and paid $4.80, $2.20 and $2.10. Afleet, the favorite, paid $2.20 and $2.10. Stacked Pack paid $2.10.