Fox Hill Farm’s Laus Deo made the lead soon after the start and never looked back in winning the 35th running of the $65,000 Count Fleet for 3-year-olds on Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Ridden by David Cohen, Laus Deo set comfortable early fractions of 24.30 and 49.48 seconds while being tracked by odds-on favorite Ibboyee. As the field entered the far turn, Laus Deo opened up a clear advantage and was never seriously challenged through the stretch en route to a three-quarter length win over Worth a Buck.

It was another half-length back to Turbo Speed in third. Ibboyee, sent off at odds of 2-5, finished fourth.

Laus Deo completed the one mile and 70 yards in 1:44.91 over the fast inner track.

“The horse was very prepared,” said Cohen of the Medaglia d’Oro colt. “I just let him take me out of the gate. He’s got a big, long stride, obviously – he’s a huge horse. He relaxed well for me, and every time they came to him he’d give me more, without me having to ask.”

Trained by Anthony Dutrow, who watched the race on television from Florida, Laus Deo entered the Count Fleet off a maiden victory at Philadelphia Park.

“I think it’s pretty obvious he’s still learning,” Dutrow said by telephone after the race. “He got away on the lead without anyone contesting him and that was a big break. Big picture, I think it was a good win because he is still learning. I’ll have to get together with Rick Porter [of Fox Hill Farms] to figure out what’s next. I know New York has a great series of races for three-year-olds so we have that as an option.”

The next two-turn race for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct is the $100,000 Whirlaway on Saturday, February 6 at 1 1/16 miles.

As the third choice is the field at 10.40-1, Laus Deo paid $22.80 to win for a $2 bet.

The $39,000 winning purse more than doubled his career earnings to $75,340.