(Edited Del Mar Thoroughbred Club report)

DEL MAR, Calif. – Paul’s Hope, competitive in stakes company this summer at Hollywood Park, dropped into the allowance ranks Thursday to win the featured $70,000 Prudential Purse under jockey Joel Rosario.

Despite losing ground while racing on the outside turning into the stretch, Paul’s Hope ran on gamely to score by 1 1/4 lengths over the fast-closing Big Bad Leroybrown, with Doppio third and Usurp fourth.  Favored Silver Stetson Man was next-to-last in seventh at the wire.

Paul’s Hope, a five-year-old son of Lake Austin owned by George Todaro and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, stepped the seven furlongs in 1:23 flat and returned $8, $4.20 and $3.20 in scoring his sixth victory in 30 career outings.

Runner-up Big Bad Leroybrown paid $7.40 and $4.20, while Doppio returned $4.40.

Attendance Thursday was  9,829.