Thistledown | Horse Racing Free Tips

Old Friends Celebrates Stakes Named For Catlaunch, ‘The Pride Of Ohio Racing’

On Sept. 24, Thistledown will host the sixth running of the $75,000 Catlaunch Stakes, a 1-1/16-mile race on the dirt for Thoroughbreds 3-years-old and up for accredited Ohio foals. The contest is scheduled as the seventh race on the card with a 3:50 post time.

Without question, Catlaunch was a fan favorite at Ohio racetracks when he competed, and, as stated on the Old Friends website, he was “the pride of Ohio racing.”

In his career Catlaunch ran in 108 races, with 106 of them at three main Ohio racetracks: Beulah, Thistledown, and River Downs (now Belterra Park). In those 106 races in Ohio, he won 40 times, finished second 22 times, third 15 times, and earned $1,122,309. In addition, he was also a versatile horse, as he won at distances from six furlongs to 1-1/4 miles.

In his 11-year racing career, Catlaunch earned numerous season-ending Ohio Awards. He was a three-time Ohio Horse of the Year (2008, 2010, and 2011), five-time Ohio Champion Handicap Champion (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011), four-time Ohio Accredited Male Champion (2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011), and Champion Sprinter (2011).

Catlaunch was retired after his final race on Sept. 8. 2013, and arrived at Old Friends in January of 2014. He enjoyed more than four years of retirement at Old Friends before he was euthanized on May 4, 2018 due to chronic neurologic disease.

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Altissimo Named 2019 Ohio-Bred Horse Of The Year

The necessary COVID-19 restrictions in the state caused the cancellation of the traditional Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Awards Banquet at Darby Dan Farm in Galloway, Ohio. Hoping against hope that restrictions would be lessened as time passed, the O.T.B.O. made secondary plans to hold the event at Thistledown, but the restrictions remain in place for large gatherings.

With the help of director of racing Patrick Ellsworth, the track coordinated public recognition of the 2019 champions and their connections, blended with their “Best of Ohio Series” of divisional races.

Special thanks to trainer Richard Zielinski and Purina Feeds who had coolers embroidered for each state champion and halters personalized for Stallion and Broodmare of the year. Here are the individuals and horses that garnered year-end awards.

Ohio Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter and Champion Handicap Horse – Altissimo: Owned by Nancy Lavrich and Ronald Zielinski, the 6-year-old gelding was bred by Nancy Lavrich and Niknar Farm LLC and is trained by Richard Zielinski. A son of Noble Causeway out of Great Going Rose by Albert the Great, Altissimo made seven starts last season with a 4-2-0 record for earnings of $307,250 pushing his career earnings to $781,638.

All four of his wins were in stakes races including the $97,000 Hockensmith at Delaware Park earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Primarily a main track sprinter, Altissimo captured the $75,000 Gendelman Memorial going 1 1/16 miles over the Belterra Park turf course. Perhaps his best effort of the season was a troubled trip in the Grade 3 DeFrancis Memorial at Laurel Park. While making a winning move, he was floated out in mid-stretch and had to take back and alter course to the inside, only to miss the top spot by three-quarters of a length in 1:08.

Owner of the Year – Ron Paolucci: His bright lime green silks were seen in winner's circles from coast to coast, but the native of Stow, Ohio wins most of his races in the state with Ohio-breds. He finished ninth in the nation with a record of 799-191-144-94 for earnings of $4,851,390 with an impressive 24 percent of his starters in the win column.

Breeder of the Year – Blazing Meadows Farm: Owned and operated by Tim and Shawna Hamm, the farm in North Jackson garnered $168,721 in breeders awards alone. The farm is also home to the graded stakes-winning National Flag in partnership with WinStar Farm. The son of the popular Speightstown, bred more mares than any other stallion in 2019 and his first foals arrived in 2020.

Stallion of the Year – Mobil: Standing at Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm in Polk, the now 20-year-old stallion is still making his mark on the state. A son of Langfuhr out of Kinetigal by Naskra, he built a reputation for himself in Canada over four seasons of racing amassing $1,877,136. A multiple graded stakes winner, he had a record of 29-12-9-1 and the Canadian champion retired to stud north of the border before moving to the Buckeye State.

His offspring have earned $12,199,580 and his current leading runner is Mobil Solution ($470,770), who was voted 2019 champion accredited handicap horse.

Broodmare of the Year – Great Goin Rose: While her career was brief, Great Goin Rose did manage to win her only two starts at two and run second in the Royal North Stakes at Beulah Park from her three trips to post. She made up for her abbreviated on-track career with an extended one in the breeding shed where she produced seven foals since 2010.

Her first foal was Uptown Gal (($140,980), winner of the Norm Barron Queen City Oaks and hitting the board in three additional Ohio stakes. Her current success story is two-time Ohio Horse of the Year and sprint champion Altissimo ($811,658). Owner Nancy Lavrich is keeping her fingers crossed for another home run. Great Goin Rose had a filly this year by first-season sire Free Drop Billy and is in-foal to Runhappy.

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly – Moonlit Mission: Owned, bred and trained by Charlie J. Williams. Chestnut filly by Shackleford – Moonlit River, by Maria's Mon; 6-4-0-0 $182,050.

Champion 2-Year-Old Male – Liberate: Owned and bred by WinStar Farm LLC and Blazing Meadows Farm, trained by Tim Hamm. Bay gelding by Gemologist – Southern Silence, by Dixie Union; 5-4-0-0 $206,250.

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly – Totally Obsessed: Owned by Ron Paolucci Racing, bred by Schleprock Racing LLC, trained by Gary Johnson. Bay filly by Tale of Ekati – Dark Obsession, by Grand Slam; 16-6-2 $233,627.

Champion 3-Year-Old Male – Diamond Dust: Owned and bred by WinStar Farm LLC and Blazing Meadows Farm, trained by Tim Hamm. Bay gelding by Paynter – Radiant Sky, byLeroidesanimaux; 16-8-5-1 $379,725.

Champion Handicap Mare & Accredited Female – Leona's Reward: Owned by Blazing Meadows Farm LLC and Michael Friedman, bred by Blazing Meadows Farm, trained by Tim Hamm. Chestnut mare by Parent's Reward – Prime Time Dancer, by Montbrook; 48-19-7-5 $934,056.

Champion Accredited Male – Mobil Solution: Owned by Gerald Silver bred by Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm and trained by Jeff Radosevich. Bay gelding by Mobil – Perfect Solution, by Seeking the Gold; 24-7-8-5 $413,020.

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Cairo Prince Colt Upsets Ohio Derby

Dean Martini proved to be a shrewd claim for trainer Tom Amoss after upsetting the $500,000 GIII Ohio Derby Saturday at Thistledown, which offered 50 points towards the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby. Away alertly from his rail draw, the 14-1 shot contested the pace heading into the first turn and was a close-up third as the first quarter went in :22.80. Shuffled back a bit on the fence as the half went in :47.22, the bay reasserted on the backstretch, heading pacesetter Lebda (Raison d’Etat). Dean Martini continued strongly into the stretch, rolling clear of his competition, and held off a late charge from South Bend to score. Champion Storm the Court rounded out the trifecta.

Starting his career in California with Peter Miller and owners Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen, Dean Martini hit the board in three of his four starts, and was transferred to Brad Cox last fall. In the money in his first three races for that barn, he romped by 6 3/4 lengths in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Churchill May 17, where he was claimed by Amoss and Raise the BAR Racing LLC. He finished second in his next start for them in a nine-panel optional claimer in Louisville June 12.

Pedigree Notes:
Dean Martini is the fourth graded winner and eighth black-type winner for his sire Cairo Prince. His dual stakes-winning dam Soundwave is a half-sister to GSW Letgomyecho (Menifee), who is the dam of Grade III-winning ‘TDN Rising Star’ J Boys Echo (Mineshaft), GISP Echo Town (Speightstown) and GSP Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled’s Song). Soundwave is also responsible for the unraced juvenile filly Sauvecito (Cairo Prince), a yearling filly by Creative Cause and a colt by that stallion born Mar. 12 of this year.

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Brisnet.com Triple Crown Throwdown: Ohio Derby

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN’s Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins.

DeRosa – Belmont Stakes Result – Tiz the Law (+$325) proved too good for them. Bankroll: $3540.

GIII Ohio Derby – Awesome field lined up and no brainer to fade Storm the Court as ML favorite based on this year’s form. Hopefully last year’s champion Breeders’ Cup winner takes money though. On top it’s Sprawl for me. We won’t get 15-1 or even half that, but this colt is well meant for Mott and I think Paco is a good fit. Drew well and nine furlongs shouldn’t be an issue. Selection: #6 Sprawl (15-1).

Sherack – Belmont Stakes Result – Pneumatic got the right kind of trip, but ran out of gas once the real running began. Guess that’s why he was so chilly on the board. Bankroll: $2605.

GIII Ohio Derby – Sprawl won’t be anywhere near that 15-1 ML quote, but he should still offer nice value in this wide-open race. The well-bred son of City Zip from the family of Congrats, Flatter, et al, has taken a major step forward in his last two starts for Hall of Famer Bill Mott, turning in a huge third with a wide trip in a salty optional claimer at Gulfstream, then adding a first-level allowance in dominating fashion beneath the Twin Spires. Ready for a breakthrough performance. Selection: #6 Sprawl (15-1).

DiDonato – Belmont Stakes Result – Tiz the Law was too good, but landed on the right runner-up in Dr Post (+$290). The tri and super with suggested best alternatives didn’t pay too badly either. Bankroll: $3755.

GIII Ohio Derby – It feels like a thousand years ago at this point, but I remember sitting at the OTB in Hartford, CT on the Saturday after Thanksgiving with my dad and being impressed with Soros‘s win in the Smooth Air S. There were some other nice colts on that card, as Sole Volante and King Guillermo finished first and third, respectively, on the grass one race earlier. Eclipse bought into Soros off of that effort, but he finished off the board in his next two outings, including a sixth-place run last time in the Unbridled S. behind Dr Post. Pretty much everyone to run back from that race came back faster, so maybe that effort was stronger than it looks on paper, and he probably doesn’t want to be up on the pace like he was that day. This is a pretty aggressive spot considering his recent form, so he must be training well. He should get a set-up, and figures to appreciate the distance–his sire excelled at nine furlongs and farther. This is definitely a good spot to go longshot hunting. Selection: #11 Soros (15-1).

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