A quintet of $100,000 Ohio Thoroughbred Race Fund (OTRF) Stakes are set to be contested Saturday, Oct. 30 at Mahoning Valley Race Course in northeastern Ohio. These five OTRF stakes will wrap up the Best of Ohio series at the state's three running venues. First Race post time at Mahoning on Saturday is 12:15 pm, ET.
The Juvenile, a 1 1/16-mile contest for Ohio-registered 2-year-olds, is the first Best of Ohio event on the afternoon program, carded as Race Six and features seven youngsters, each carrying 120 pounds. Post time for The Juvenile is 2:34 pm, ET.
Uptown, who has finished second in two previous OTRF stakes this year and who comes into this event fresh off two victories, looks to be the one to beat. Trained by Silviano Gonzalez for owner Charlie Williams, this son of Upstart-Mongoose Gold, by Mongoose has $69,450 in his coffers. The dark bay or brown colt was a $30,000 purchase at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and was bred by Ohio's Donnybrook Farm and Wynn Blaton.
Next up is the John W. Galbreath, another 1 1/16-mile event, this one for Ohio-registered fillies, all carrying 117 pounds. Post time for the Galbreath is 3:02 pm, ET, and features seven neophyte distaffs.
Alexandria, who captured the $100,000 Best of Ohio Miss Ohio and $75,000 Tah Dah stakes, rates the slight nod in here over rival Happy as You Go, the $75,000 Emerald Necklace and $75,000 Loyalty Stakes winner.
Hailing from the Tim Hamm barn for Winstar Farm and Blazing Meadows Farm, Alexandria was a smart third in the Grade 3 Pocahantas Stakes at Churchill on Sept. 3. The homebred daughter of Constitution-Springwater, by Spring at Last has a bankroll of $137,160 with three wins in four starts.
Happy as You Go, by Mobil, out of the Dixieland Band mare Preservation Hall, is a Robert Gorham trainee with $106,706 in earnings and is three for four lifetime. Bred by Mapleton Thoroughbreds, Happy as You Go was a $5,000 purchase at the 2019 Ohio Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Fall Mixed Sale.
The six-furlong Best of Ohio Sprint follows, with 11 well-matched Ohio-registered 3-year-olds and up vying for first prize. Post time is scheduled for 3:30 pm, ET.
Altissimo, who captured the Best of Ohio Sprint in both 2019 and 2018, is the obvious choice. This multiple stakes-winner of $827,034 has 18 wins, eight seconds and 5 thirds in 44 career outings for owners Nancy Lavrich and Ronald Zielinski. Altissimo is a bay 7-year-old homebred altered son of Noble Causeway-Great Goin Rose, by Albert The Great and is conditioned by Richard Zielinski. Altissimo will have to contend with the likes of former Ohio Horse of the Year and multiple stakes winner and million-dollar earner Mo Dont No, and the always tough contenders Buckeye Bullet and Diamond Dust, among others.
The Best of Ohio Distaff has a post time of 3:58 pm, ET and features nine Ohio-registered fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, traveling 1 1/8 miles over the Cleveland dirt.
Moonlit Mission appears sharp and poised to pick up her second win of the season and sixth career triumph in the Distaff for trainer Silvano Gonzalez and owner Charlie Williams. Bred by the Belvedere Farm, this 3-year-old striking chestnut daughter of Shackleford-Moonlit River, by Maria's Mon has been stakes placed this season and won the $75,000 Tomboy Stakes after capturing the $150,000 Galbreath one year ago. A winner of $249,550, Moonlit Mission was a $18,000 purchase at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. This field also features stakes winners Totally Obsessed, Drillit, Cali Dream and Star Mabee, among others.
The final race of the afternoon, with a 4:26 pm, ET, is the Best of Ohio Endurance, featuring 10 Ohio-registered runners, 3-year-olds and up, vying at 1¼ miles.
Forewarned, a 5-year-old son of Flat Out-Fortune Play, by Five Star Day, captured the 2019 edition of the Best of Ohio Endurance and has been plying his wares in stakes throughout the East Coast this season. Trained by Uriah St. Lewis for the Trin-Brook Stables, Forewarned has amassed $452,113 lifetime with seven wins, four seconds and four thirds in 29 starts. He was a $40,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December 2018 Mixed Sale.
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