Vexatious © Benoit Photo

Given a flawlessly-timed ride by jockey Rafael Bejarano, Vexatious rallied from last place to overhaul favored Queen Blossom in the final sixteenth and win the featured $75,754 CTT & TOC Stakes Wednesday at Del Mar.

Unhurried for most of the mile and three-eighths marathon over the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course, Vexatious was taken to the middle of the track turning into the stretch, responded generously to Bejarano to forge to the front near the wire and prevail by a length in 2:16.06.

Queen Blossom, the 1-2 betting choice under Flavien Prat, was a clear runner-up, two and three-quarter lengths in front of Amboseli, with Space Cadet fourth and last. Withdrawn from the original line-up were Evo Campo, Fahan Mura and Fool’s Paradise.

Vexatious, a four-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, went to the gate as the 5-2 second choice and returned $7 and $2.60. Queen Blossom paid $2.20. There was no show wagering because of the small field.

The victory was the second in eleven starts for Vexatious who broke her maiden on the main dirt track at Del Mar in November, 2016. She has been stakes-placed several times and was fourth in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks behind Abel Tasman last spring. First money of $46,380 Wednesday increased her earnings to $232,225.