Thedayofthegrey, Pacific Coast Win Ohio Thoroughbred Race Fund Stakes Races At Thistledown

A pair of $100,000 Ohio Thoroughbred Race Fund Stakes (OTRF) were contested early on the JACK Thistledown program on Saturday, August 14 at JACK Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio.

Both events were for Ohio-registered 2-year-olds at six furlongs, with the first being the Best of Ohio Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes that featured a field of nine colts and geldings, while the second was the Best of Ohio Miss Ohio Stakes that saw six fillies vie.

Thedayofthegrey left no doubt he was much the best in the Cleveland Kindergarten, using a front-stepping effort to score in 1:12.06 under the handling of rider Sonny Leon. Bred by trainer Robert Cline, the grey son of Twinspired-Sharon's Way, by Proud Citizen left the gate at 9-1 odds and returned $20 on a two-dollar ticket to his backers. Thedayofthgrey bested 6-5 rival Tantrum (Malcolm Franklin) by nearly two lengths, with 20-1 Rumble Strip Ron (Scott Spieth) third and 6-5 Condemnation (Luan Machado) fourth.

Thedayofthegrey had only two previous starts under his belt coming into the Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes, and after winning his maiden effort on Jun 1 at Thistledown, was third in the $75,000 Hoover Stakes on July 23 at Belterra Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“He stumbled in the Hoover and kind of lost his footing,” explained Cline, who owns the youngster in partnership with Richard Wilkinson. “He broke well today, however, and he's an accredited-bred, so that shows what a nice colt he is.”

Thedayofthegrey, a striking deep grey gelding who dons a white hood with can't-see-back blinkers over a white bridle, now has $85,500 in career earnings as a result of today's triumph.

Pacific Coast gave an impressive showing of herself in the 53rd running of the Best of Ohio Miss Ohio Stakes, flying under the wire in 1:11.88 for rider Jose Bracho.

“Tim gave me the opportunity to ride this filly and I'm grateful for that,” Bracho said. “At the start, we got into a little bit of trouble, but once we got in the clear, by the three-eights, she just did it all by herself.”

The well-built, dark chestnut filly with the tiny star and beautifully braided mane, walked into the Thistledown winner's circle like an old campaigner for trainer Tim Hamm and owners-breeders WinStar Farm and Blazing Meadows Farm. Pacific Coast is by Exaggerator, out of the Indian Ocean mare Ocean Princess.

“Our operation started in 1992 or 1993,” Hamm stated. “We came out and watched the Best Of Ohio races at Thistledown and decided that was the way to go. We started breeding our own and our first crop was in 1995. We get our horses ready in Florida, and our partnership with WinStar has really boosted our program.”

Pacific Coast, who broke from the gate as the 6-1 choice, won by open lengths over 5-2 rival Candlelight Hours (Malcolm Franklin) with 4-1 Flatter Her Again (John McKee) third and 5-1 Squid (Luis Rivera) fourth. Pacific Coast now has $78,900 in her career coffers.

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Historically Earns First Stakes Win in Cleveland Gold Cup at Thistledown

Historically picked up his first stakes win by scoring a commanding victory in Saturday's $75,000 Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup at Jack Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio.

The brown gelding, a son of Carpe Diem – Delitefully Wild, by Offlee Wild, bested eight rivals to capture the one and one eighth mile contest in 1:53.68 over the Cleveland dirt. It was the 53rd running of the stake for 3-year-old Ohio-registered foals.

Ridden to victory by Luis Saez and trained by Tim Hamm for WinStar Farm and Blazing Meadows Farm, Historically upped his career earnings to $102,265 and now has three wins, two seconds and one third in ten starts.

To Win, a 45-1 longshot, finished an impressive second for Fernando Becerra, while 5-1 Uptown raced well to be third for rider Jose Bracho, with the 1-1 crowd favorite Buckeye Magic finishing fourth with John McKee in the irons.

Historically paid $14.80, $6.40, and $8.40. Second-place To Win paid $27.80 and $21.60. Uptown paid $7.20 to show.

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Esplanande Named Ohio’s 2020 Horse Of The Year

Esplanande, who bested all challengers in her home state, and made an impact on the national stage was named 2020 Ohio Horse of the Year by the Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners.

The Daredevil filly won three of four starts last year, winning on debut by 6 1/4 lengths at Belterra Park, then taking the Hoover Stakes at the same track with a front-running trip. Esplanande then shipped north to Thistledown for the Best of Ohio Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes, where she once again led at every point of call to win by 4 1/4 lengths.

The filly then tested deeper waters, shipping to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes in her final start of the season. She led through the early fractions, but ultimately finished second to future Eclipse Award winner Vequist.

Esplanande is owned by the partnership of Winstar Farm LLC, Blazing Meadows Farm LLC, and Michael Lewis. She was also bred by WinStar and Blazing Meadows, and she is trained by Tim Hamm.

The filly's ownership group was also named Ohio Owners of the Year, and Esplanande took home additional honors as Ohio's champion 2-year-old filly. Southern Silence, the dam of Esplanande was also named Ohio's Broodmare of the Year.

This year's winners were selected by a committee composed of Lawrence “Bill” Couch, Ed Vomacka, and Hugh Drexler – the racing secretaries at each Ohio Thoroughbred track – and Bob “Railbird” Roberts, the award-winning former turf writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Following is the full list of winners from the OTBO's 2020 year-end awards.

Owner of the Year: Winstar Farm LLC., Blazing Meadows LLC and Michael Lewis

Breeder of the Year: Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm

Horse of the Year: Esplanande
Owner: Winstar Farm LLC., Tim Hamm and Michael Lewis
Breeder: Blazing Meadows Farm & WinStar Farm LLC
Trainer: Tim Hamm

Stallion of the Year: Mobil
Owner: George Sikora
Standing at: Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm

Broodmare of the Year: Southern Silence
Owner: Blazing Meadow and Winstar Farm LLC

Champion Handicap Horse: Mobil Solution
Owner: Danielle Agnello
Breeder: Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm
Trainer: Jeffrey Skerrett

Champion Handicap Mare: Circus Rings
Owner: Knights A to Z Racing LLC
Breeder: Michael E. Lauer & Penny S. Lauer
Trainer: Valerie K. Shanyfelt

Ohio-Bred Claimer of the Year: Star Mabee
Owner: Michael J. Annechino
Breeder: Lake Shore Farm, LLC
Trainer: Jeffrey A. Radosevich

Champion Sprinter: Chief Randel
Owner: Harry D. Waite
Breeder: Harry D. Waite & Ronald C. Waite
Trainer: Jose A. Romero

Champion Accredited Male: Mobil Solution
Owner: Danielle Agnello
Breeder: Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm
Trainer: Jeffrey Skerrett

Champion Accredited Female: Grizabella
Owner: Michael J. Annechino
Breeder: Mapleton Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Jeffrey A. Radosevich

Champion 3-Year-Old Male: Chief Randel
Owner: Harry D. Waite
Breeder: Harry D. Waite & Ronald C. Waite
Trainer: Jose A. Romero

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly: Moonlit Mission
Owner: Charlie J. Williams LLC
Breeder: Belvedere Farm Inc.
Trainer: Silvano M. Gonzalez

Champion 2-Year-Old Male: Buckeye Magic
Owner: Maccabee Farm LLC
Breeder: Maccabee Farm
Trainer: Thomas Drury Jr.

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly: Esplanande
Owner: Winstar Farm LLC., Tim Hamm and Michael Lewis
Breeder: Blazing Meadows Farm LLC & WinStar Farm, LLC
Trainer: Tim Hamm

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Tim Hamm-Trained Juvenile Filly Charge It All Earns Shot At Gasparilla Stakes

These days, when trainer Tim Hamm sends out a 2-year-old filly, Thoroughbred racing followers sit up and take notice. Charge It All gave Tampa Bay Downs fans and simulcast viewers something to keep in mind in Sunday's second race.

The Kentucky-bred juvenile, owned in partnership by Hamm's Blazing Meadows Farm and her breeder, Three Chimneys Farm, moved smartly to the lead on the turn for home and kept her mind on business under jockey Wilmer Garcia en route to a 1 ½-length victory from Special Princess in the 6 ½-furlong, allowance/$75,000 optional claiming event for 2-year-old fillies.

Charge It All's time on a fast track was 1:18.30.

“I like this horse a lot,” Hamm said. “At this time last year, she was really fat and she looked kind of like a cow. I didn't know if she would ever slim down, but after being in Miami in June, July and August, she got some scope to her and has turned into a real nice filly. I'm pleased with her performance. I think there is some upside to her.”

Charge It All benefited from a lively speed duel between pace-setter Splash Cash and R Averie Lynn before Garcia popped the question approaching the 3/8-mile pole and she took off.

Hamm credits his assistant, Julie Hutchison, for getting Charge It All into solid racing shape in south Florida during the summer prior to the filly's first start on Sept. 17 at Gulfstream Park. The daughter of Will Take Charge-Invalida, by Street Cry, is now 2-for-3.

Hamm's success earlier this year with his 2-year-old filly Dayoutoftheoffice, owned by Blazing Meadows Farm in partnership with Siena Farm, brought the conditioner widespread attention within the sport. She went 3-for-4 this year, winning the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga and the G1 Frizette at Belmont before settling for a second-place finish to Vequist in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. The Frizette was Hamm's first G1 victory.

Certain to be an Eclipse Award finalist for Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, Dayoutoftheoffice is at Siena Farm in Paris, Ky., and will soon be sent to Hamm's Blazing Meadows South in Ocala to begin preparations for her 3-year-old season. She earned $556,500 this year.

Every horse develops at a different rate and Hamm isn't ready to get too far ahead of himself with Charge It All. At the same time, he says the $125,000, seven-furlong Gasparilla Stakes for newly turned 3-year-old fillies on Jan. 16 is a likely next start, provided she rebounds well from Sunday's effort.

“Julie was mad at me because I didn't nominate her for the (six-furlong Sandpiper Stakes on Dec. 5), but we knew this allowance was coming up,” Hamm said. “Now, it's kind of like we have nothing to lose (by racing in the Gasparilla). I'm not too ambitious yet, but I'm ambitious enough to let her tell us where to go next.”

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