Contact Information:
Bob Roberts (216-662-8600)
April 17, 2008
www.thistledown.com
Cleveland Area Horsemen Finish 1-2-3 At Beulah Park
Thistledown-based horsemen made a clean sweep of the first Ohio stakes race of the year when Buckerine Stable's Eye Cant Look Back won Saturday's (April 12) $50,000 Royal North at Beulah Park in suburban Columbus. The Gary King-trainee, ridden by Jane Magrell, scored by 1 3/4 lengths over Great Goin Rose, who in turn held 2 1/4 lengths over the favored Got Bling. Buckerine is a partnership of Randy Blevins, an optometrist from Louisville, OH and Robert and Robin Brennan of Aurora. Great Goin Rose is owned in partnership by Nancy Lavrich of Kirtland with Donn Rowe, who trains her. Got Bling runs for the Blazing Meadows Farm of North Jackson, Oh.
"She trained well and she ran to the training," said King. "This filly won her first and only start last fall. We are very pleased with her. She actually broke last, but squirted through the field and was quickly on the lead. What's next for her? The next Ohio stake for fillies."
The $50,000 Tomboy, a 1 1/16-mile test on the grass at River Downs on May 17 is the next race for state-bred sophomore lassies. Eye Cant Look Back was timed the Royal North's six furlongs in 1:11 1/5 and paid $11.20 for a $2 win ticket.
SPRING TRAINING -- Horsemen continue to ready their charges for the May 1st opener of the 2008 live thoroughbred season at Thistledown. The morning worktab continues to grow each day as conditions have been idle. Thistledown's one-mile strip has been listed as "fast" for 11 of the 12 days of training so far this spring.
COMING OUR WAY? --- Thistledown's $300,000 (G2) Ohio Derby will be run on May 31st and may already have a candidate for its 74th renewal. Dream Maestro, runner-up to Hey Byrn in last weekend's Grade III $150,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park, isn't nominated to the Triple Crown and could be headed for northern Ohio. "I think we can go on to some nice races, like maybe the Ohio Derby," said trainer Bill Kaplan. Dream Maestro races for Herb and Ione Elkins who have raced horses at Thistledown in the past under the care of veteran trainer Martin (Irish) Owens.
SISTER TRACK IN SPOTLIGHT --- Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., like Thistledown a member of the Magna Entertainment family of racetracks, will be featured four times over the next two weeks on the WJW-TV Fox 8's show "That's Life With Robin Swoboda," seen daily from 10 to 11 a.m. Swoboda visited Gulfstream, now a year-round vacation destination spot with racing, slots, poker, concerts, and fine dining. Segments on her visit will be shown on Tuesday (April 22), Wednesday (April 23) and Friday (April 25). On Monday, April 28, the show's full hour will feature Gulfstream with jockey and trainer interviews, restaurant, casino and handicapping segments, and visits to the barn area and riders' locker room and high-roller suites.
FEED BAG --- Delightful Kiss, winner of last year's Ohio Derby, continues to move closer to his first start of 2008. Trainer Pete Anderson drilled him a half-mile at Calder Race Course in 48 2/5 seconds on Tuesday . . .Jockey Weldon Cloninger and trainer Jevon Crumley, both Thistledown regulars, dominated the opening day (April 11) program at Cincinnati's River Downs, winning three races. They added a fourth winner on Saturday's card . . . Thistledown will open its doors an hour earlier than usual on May 2nd and 3rd, the dates of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby programs from Churchill Downs. Post time at the Louisville track is 11 a.m. for both days. Advance wagering on the entire Derby card will be available on Friday . . . "The First Saturday in May," an award-winning documentary on the Kentucky Derby, opens Friday at the Cedar-Lee Theater . . .Starting Thursday, April 17, Thistledown will be open for evening wagering on full-card simulcast signals five of the next eight nights. There will be action each night except Friday, Saturday and Monday. Of course, Thistledown is open every afternoon for simulcast wagering.