Heavily Favored Gone Astray Romps in 75th Running of Ohio Derby
Thistledown played host the 75th running of the Ohio Derby today which featured 7 of the best three year old Thoroughbreds from throughout the country. Gone Astray proved to be the finest of the bunch on paper and on the track. Sent off as a 2-5 favorite, the son of Dixie Union waited till the homestretch to catch frontrunning War Fighter for a 2 length victory in the only graded race in Ohio that saw its purse drop to $150,000 this year because of financial trouble at the North Randall track.
The Claude McGaughey trained colt had been coming off an impressive 9 length score in the the Grade II Pennsylvania Derby and seems to be getting better as he matures. Jockey Eddie Castro guided the winner in the Grade II victory today and also cashed a big paycheck in another stakes race that had a healthy purse of $75,000. Castro said after the Derby win:
“’I got my position early and my horse stayed relaxed for me. I wasn’t worried in the stretch. I knew my horse was running without asking him too much.”
For a moment, it looked as if second place finisher War Fighter may have a chance to steal the race. Sent of at odds of 12-1, the Jamie Ness trained gelding went out to uncontested lead as second choice Join In The Dance failed to get out with the leader as expected. War Fighter set manageable fractions but didn't have the stride to contend with Gone Astray in the homestretch. Ice Road would finish third with Join In The Dance rallying to fourth after being rank during the first turn which took the Kentucky Derby entrant out of contention for the trophy.
Here is what the payoffs were for the most prestigious race in the Buckeye State:
Gone Astray $2.80 $2.10 $2.10
War Fighter $2.80 $3.00
Ice Road $2.60
$2 Pick 3 $540.20 3-4-2/6/7/9/10/11/12
$2 Daily Double $36.00 4-2
$2 Exacta $18.60 2-13
$1 Superfecta $63.50 2-13-8-3
$2 Trifecta $71.20 2-13-8
The Best of Ohio was also run at The Big T today. Here are the results of those races courtesy of Thistledown.
North Randall, OH – Queen Imidala, owned by Laurie Hickman, trained by Craig Holstein and ridden to victory by Fernando De La Cruz, captured the 18th running of the $75,000 John W. Galbreath today at Thistledown in the first stakes event on Best of Ohio / Ohio Derby Day.
The two-year-old Consolidator filly out of the Fit to Fight mare Fit n’ Pretty captured her second lifetime win in three lifetime starts. The victory in the event, restricted to registered Ohio foals, increased Queen Imidala’s lifetime bankroll to over $51,000.
Favorite Country Club Sue was a step slow from her starting spot on the rail, but quickly caught back up with the remainder of the field of seven fillies. In the first turn, Golden Ann held an early battle with Queen Imidala to her outside. On the backstretch, the field was tightly bunched as Queen Imidala pulled clear of Golden Ann, but then had to deal with Haba Heart and Country Club Sue going into the final turn as the latter was forced to race in the three-path throughout much of the latter part of the race following her poor start. As the trio exited the final turn, Adreamfordarline split foes and began to challenge Queen Imidala, but Queen Imidala put her away late to win by two and three-quarters lengths. Adreamfordarlene held place, while the troubled Country Club Sue just nipped Haba Heart by a head for the show position.
“She rated for me a little,” said De La Cruz, ”When we turned for home, she was best.”
“I do charity work for Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati,” commented owner Laurie Hickman, “At a gala fundraiser, we put her in an auction to name her. It went for $800. The winning bidders wanted to name her after a Star Wars character, Queen Amidala, but The Jockey Club would not let it go through, so we changed the A to an I.”
The final time for the mile and a sixteenth contest was 1:50 flat. Queen Imidala paid $9.60, $4.60 and $2.60,Adreamfordarlene returned $6.20 and $3.20, while Country Club Sue paid $2.20. The exacta (8-7) returned $43.20 and the trifecta (8-7-1) paid $104.80.
Slides Choice Annexes Best of Ohio Distaff
North Randall, OH – Slides Choice, owned by Mary Crawford and Gerald Brown, trained by Timothy Hamm and ridden by Eddie Castro, was victorious in the 23rd running of the $100,000 Best of Ohio Distaff today at Thistledown.
The three-year-old Devil His Due filly out of the Binalong mare Slide Along won for the eighth time in 12 lifetime starts, while increasing her lifetime bankroll to over $304,000.
The field of eight fillies and mares set sail with no problems as Pyrite Gem and favorite Pay the Man locked up to battle through the first turn with Honey Be Fleet and Slides Choice in the second pair trailing the leading duel. As the field worked down the backstretch in the 1 1/8th mile event, Pyrite Gem eventually drew clear, but for just a short spell as Pay the Man, who came into the race a winner of ten of 11 lifetime tries at Thistledown, rallied to battle again with the leader through the final turn.
While this was happening, Slides Choice began to advance, eventually passing Pyrite Gem at the head of the lane, then she hooked Pay the Man in the stretch. Through the final furlong, Slides Choice battled Pay the Man to the wire with Slides Choice prevailing on the outside by a scant nose margin, dealing Pay the Man her first loss to any female at Thistledown. It was another 8 ¼ lengths back to Pyrite Gem, who held for third over Pyrite Marci.
“It’s a heck of a filly she beat,” said winning trainer Tim Hamm, ”I always liked our filly and thought we had a shot to turn the tables and we were fortunate enough to do it. She tries hard every time.”
Pay the Man’s jockey, Hector Rosario added, ”When she got out there in front, she started looking around and waiting on horses, then she fought back when the other horse (Slides Choice) came to us. We lost, but she’s still a heck of a mare.”
The final time for the mile and an eighth contest was1:51.80. Slides Choice paid $7.00, $2.40 and $2.10. Pay The Man returned $2.10 and $2.10 and Pyrite Gem paid $2.80. Exacta players with the (7-4) combination netted $13.80. The trifecta (7-4-3) returned $34.40.
Thats a Heckofacat Wins Juvenile Stakes
North Randall, OH – Thats a Heckofacat owned by Barbara Johnson, trained by William “Dougie” Cowans and ridden to by John McKee, survived a trainer’s objection to capture the 42nd running of the $75,000 Juvenile Stakes today at Thistledown.
The freshman Hold That Tiger gelding out of the Native Uproar mare Queenie’s Revenge attained his third lifetime win to remain undefeated and increased his lifetime bankroll to over $83,000.
The field of had a beautiful start as Busha’ battled Drummond Island going into the first turn, with favorite Thats a Heckofacat and Ready Victory a couple of lengths back in tandem. As the field worked toward the half, Busha slid past Drummond Island to the outside, but had to deal with the closing Ready Victory and Thats a Heckofacat as the trio were heads apart at the top of the stretch.
While Ready Victory was no match in the lane, Thats a Heckofacat got into close quarters with Busha’ in the stretch, leading to Busha’s trainer, Mike Rone, to file an objection as Thats a Heckofacat prevailed by a nose over Busha at the wire. However, track stewards disallowed the objection, keeping the order as originally posted. Bye Bye Rush closed willingly for third.
“I really don’t think there was an incident,” said winning rider John McKee, “ I made my horse change leads and I kept him straight.”
“About three-sixteenths to the eighth pole the other horse came over a little bit,” countered Busha’s jockey Perry Ouzts, ”He made my horse duck pretty good, so I couldn’t tell you how much he bumped me.”
Winning trainer William Cowans added, “ You always worry when there are blinking lights (objection sign and horses’ numbers on the tote board) for $75,000. He’s just a two-year-old. This is his last race of the season. He is done for the year.
Thats a Heckofacat returned $3.20, $2.40 and $2.20. Busha’ paid $5.20 and $3.40 while Bye Bye Rush returned $3.40. The exacta (8-10) paid $14.20 and the trifecta (8-10-2) returned $45.60. Final time for the mile and a sixteenth contest was1:48.60.
Tri Uimet Takes Best of Ohio Sprint
North Randall, OH –Tri Uimet owned by Gerald Silver, trained by Jeff Radosevich, and ridden by Scott Speith, captured the 20th running of the $75,000 Best of Ohio Sprint today at Thistledown.
The six-year-old year old by Lac Ouimet out of the Premiership mare Premier Tri won his ninth race in 24 lifetime starts, bringing his lifetime earnings to over $237,000.
The field of 10 registered Ohio Foals all started well with the exception of Perfectly Played, who started slowly. I cant refuse flashed his early foot to the rest of the field in the opening furlong, but Tri Uimet stayed close with Royal Nemesis and Turnpike Mike also in the early mix. Going into the turn, Tri Uimet moved to the outside to challenge I Cant Refuse. Turning for the wire, Tri Uimet put away the pesky I Cant Refuse in mid-stretch to win by a half-length while Royal Nemesis was a game third, just missing the runner-up spot by a head.
The 3:5 favorite King of the Roxy got away mid-pack but was never a factor as he came home fourth.
“I wanted to go to the inside, but I had to go to the outside and he didn’t run like he did last time, “ said King of the Roxy’s rider Orlando Mojica, referring to his winning effort in the August 29th Honey Jay at Thistledown.
Tri Uimet has seen success in the Buckeye State as he was the 2006 Ohio three-year-old colt of the year, including a win in Thistledown’s Cleveland Gold Cup that season.
“This has been a good horse for a long time,” said trainer Jeff Radosevich,” He always gives his best, no matter what the track or distance. Did I give (jockey) Scott (Spieth) instructions? What am I going to tell him? He knows how to get them home.”
The final time for the six-furlong contest was1:10.92. Tri Uimet paid $16.20, $7.80 and $5.80, I Cant Refuse returned $ 5.40 and $5.00 and Royal Nemesis paid $8.00 to show. The exacta (3-9) paid $74.40, while the trifecta (3-9-2) returned $370.20.
Sneak A Cold Treat Triumphs in Best of Ohio Endurance
North Randall, OH – Sneak a Cold Treat, owned by Midwest Thoroughbreds, trained by Jamie Ness and ridden by Huber Villa-Gomez, captured the 23rd running of the $100,000 Best of Ohio Endurance today at Thistledown.
The four-year-old dark brown / bay gelding by Snuck In out of the Formal Dinner mare Frozen Dinner won for the eighth time in 28 starts. The victory increased his lifetime bankroll to over $142,000.
The field of eleven got away to a great beginning as Key Low snuck away to an early two length advantage over Sneak a Cold Treat while 2008 Ohio Horse of the Year and race favorite Catlaunch and Pyrite Personal were just behind the top two. On the backstretch, Key Low’s advantage dwindled as Sneak a Cold Treat eventually drew to even terms with the leader in the middle of the turn as Pyrite Personal continued to chase. At that point, Allsarott started to make a move from mid-pack to become a factor. In the stretch, Sneak a Cold Treat put away the competition in mid-stretch to win convincingly by two lengths over Allsarott and the fast-closing Raise the Reward.
“I claimed this horse (for $12,500 at Tampa Bay Downs in April) because I learned I had stalls in Ohio (at Thistledown) and he was an Ohio-bred. That’s it, pure and simple. Of course, I watched him run and thought he was okay,” said winning trainer Jamie Ness.
He added, “I think he ran well today because he was fresh. I had entered him at Presque Isle Downs late last month and scratched him.”
As for Catlaunch, jockey Hector Rosario, Jr. said, “I had no horse at the half-mile pole. He wasn’t the same horse he usually is.”
The final time for the 1-1/4 mile contest was 2:05.32. Cat Singer paid $28.80, $13.80 and $7.60, Allsarott returned $11.20 and $6.20 and Raise the Reward paid $6.40. The exacta (4-8) returned $244.40 and the trifecta (4-8-10) paid $3,311.60.
