Having already won the first of three major races on Kip Deville’s schedule this year, trainer Richard Dutrow entered the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner in Sunday’s Grade 3, $108,300 Poker to “give him something to do.”

He did good.

Breaking sharp under jockey Cornelio Velasquez, Kip Deville got away with a 24.36 opening quarter mile and a 47.32 half, then kicked clear to win the one-mile Widener Turf Course event by 2 ¼ lengths in 1:32.94.

He will now likely follow the same path as last year, and will head to Woodbine on September 7 for the Woodbine Mile and then to Santa Anita to defend his Mile crown on October 25.

“'Kip' likes to set off; that’s his game,” said trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. “He found himself on the lead, and then Cornelio was able to keep him right in striking distance. His next race will be in Canada and it looks like what we have to do is keep him where he is at.”

Last year, Kip Deville lost the Woodbine Mile by a length to Shakespeare, but came back to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Monmouth Park. In his only other start this year, he won the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark at Keeneland for the second straight year.

“He’s a super racehorse,” said Mike Iavarone of IEAH Stable. “We’ve been running all over the place with him, and we’re happy to get him to New York. He loves this turf. Just look at his last quarter. He’s got a great mind; a great everything.”

Velasquez rode an intelligent race, and was able to keep Kip Deville from doing too much too soon.

“He broke sharp today, but I was able to settle him down,” Velasquez said. “And he got the last quarter in 22 and change. This should set him up for the big race in Canada.”

A 5-year-old son of Kipling, Kip Deville returned $2.80 as the heavy favorite.

Tam Lin (GB) was second, and it was two lengths back to Operation Red Dawn, who was followed by Sensational Humor and Steppenwolfer.