FRANKLIN – Drayden Van Dyke celebrated his 23rd birthday Sunday at Kentucky Downs.

Though hardly acquainted before Sunday’s $350,000 Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Derby, the Tom Proctor-trained 3-year-old colt Big Bend had a present waiting for his jockey.

With a front-running effort over the 1 5/16-mile distance, Big Bend turned back a late challenge from favored Parlor in the upper stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 2 minutes, 11.57 seconds.

“The only time I saw any other horses was when that horse (Parlor) came along next to me,” Van Dyke said. “He was there for a few strides, and my horse stuck his head out for the rest of the way. Proctor said, ‘If he breaks running, get an easy lead, that’s a plus for us. If one of them gets stupid, just either sit behind or get outside and just track them.’ “

The fifth choice in a field of eight, Big Bend scored his third victory in 10 lifetime starts for owner Union Rags Racing LLC, and first stakes win.

Van Dyke, riding Big Bend for the first time Sunday, said the Kentucky-born son of 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags showed easy speed on the turf.

“I kind of coaxed him along, let him breathe,” Van Dyke said. “Turning for home, you know how that hill is, you really don’t want to ask going up the hill. So once I got over that hill and started going down, I got to ask him and he really kicked in. And he stayed kicked in.

“He kept going. He really fought once that horse came next to him. Give all the fight to the horse.”

Parlor, with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard, was second and Bronson finished two lengths back in third.

Even-money favorite Daddys Lil Darling turned in a huge effort to win Sunday’s $200,000 Dueling Ground Oaks, as the 3-year-old filly broke the track record with a winning time of 2:10.97 over the 1 5/16-mile distance. Mystical Star set the previous mark of 2:11.30 in 2013.

Leparoux held Daddys Lil Darling just off the lead in a bunched field of nine before pushing to the front to pass Summer Luck with a quarter-mile to go and win by 4 1/4 lengths.

“She did it on her own, I never really asked for anything,” Leparoux said. “She’s a nice filly. She finished fourth in the Belmont Oaks on the grass, so she’s a nice filly and today she did it really impressive.”

Trained by Kenny McPeek for owner/breeder Nancy Polk, Daddys Lil Darling scored her first victory since last year’s Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. It was her third career victory in 12 lifetime starts.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Polk said. “If I had any doubts about her ability going forth, this dispelled all of them. She won with authority today, and that was very exciting to see.”

Summer Luck, with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, finished second and La Manta Gris was third.

Only four days into the five-day meet, Kentucky Downs has already surpassed the all-sources betting record it set just last year. Following Sunday’s races, a total of $24,567,471.37 with a full race card still scheduled for Thursday.

“We have had an amazing weekend of racing,” Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs’ senior vice president and general manager, said in a news release. “Betting $24.5 million in four days shows that the horse players around the country love our turf racing.”{&end}