PERU unleashed a furious stretch run under Julien Leparoux when getting up to win the $110,000 Claiming Crown Tiara (race 7), helping her owners (Ken and Sarah Ramsey) and trainer (Mike Maker) increase their all-time leading totals in Claiming Crown history. Peru was well back as the field straightened away for the drive in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, but she absolutely flew home for her 7th victory in 26 career starts, finishing in 1:41.87. Her win margin was about a length over VALEDICTORIAN.

The full result was 1-9-5-12, with the odds-on favorite, STARSHIP JUBILEE, faltering in the final furlong after leading throughout from her outside post.

One race earlier, trainer Jorge Navarro had the exacta all to himself when SALSA'S RETURN (16-1) went past his stablemate DONJI (22-1) in the final yards of the $110,000 Claiming Crown Iron Horse (race 6), a 1 1/16-mile race in which a third Navarro runner, GUNS OF STEEL, faltered in the stretch after leading most of the way as the 2-1 favorite. The full result was 11-4-12-10, with a $2 Navarro exacta returning a whopping $523.60.

The Express began the Rainbow 6 sequence (races 6-11), which drew $91,412 in handle on this first day of the championship meet. The Tiara was the first leg in the late pick-5 (races 7-11), which drew $281,011.