Contact Information:
Bob Roberts (216-662-8600)
August 26,2008
www.thistledown.com
THISTLEDOWN SALUTES LABOR DAY WEEKEND WITH OHIO STAKES RACE TRIPLEHEADER
Thistledown offers a salute to the traditional ending of summer with a stakes race tripleheader over the upcoming Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, Ohio's top fillies and mares will battle in the 24th running of the $75,000 Rose DeBartolo Memorial at one and one-eighth miles. On Sunday, the state's best sprinters will square off in the 21st running of the $50,000 Honey Jay Stakes at six furlongs. On Labor Day Monday, the 59th running of the $75,000 Governor's Buckeye Cup goes to the post, pitting Ohio's leading handicap horses against each other at the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles.
"These should be very competitive and entertaining races," said Bill Couch, Thistledown's Director of Racing. "It 's a great way for our fans to celebrate the Labor Day weekend, as well as get a preview of what to expect on (Oct. 4) Best of Ohio day when many of these horses will return."
While official entries for the trio of races won't be known for a few days (Wednesday for the DeBartolo, Thursday for the Honey Jay, and Friday for the Governor's Buckeye), the nomination lists for all three are peppered with state champions.
Among the 12 nominees to the DeBartolo Memorial is defending champion Pay The Man, voted Ohio's Champion Sophomore Filly of 2007. She could face Mini Mom, the state's top two-year-old filly in 2006, as well as J'espere, winner of the July 19 Queen City Oaks.
The last three winners of the Honey Jay -- defending champion Dooze, Pforperfectspistol, and I Can't Refuse -- are among the hopefuls for this year's renewal. Dooze was voted Ohio Champion Sprinter of 2007, the same honor that Pforperfectspistol claimed in 2006. Also nominated for the Honey Jay (as well as to the Governor's Buckeye Cup) is Catlaunch, Ohio's Champion Handicap Horse of 2007. Ben's Reflection, a three-time Buckeye sprint champion (2003-to 2005) is another who is expected to run Saturday.
Monday's Governor's Buckeye Cup has attracted 14 nominations. Five of them (Acts Like a King, Go Johnny Go, Never Forget, Ramblin Mike, and the aforementioned Catlaunch) are cross-nominated to the Honey Jay and could run 48 hours earlier.
Catlaunch is the defending champion and his connections could opt to run for the higher purse. Acts Like a King, runner-up in the 2006 Governor's Buckeye, is another who could run in either race. Smarmy, who won the 2007 Best of Ohio Endurance at the Governor's Buckeye Cup distance, is expected to run in Monday's race.
SLIDES CHOICE RALLIES FOR MISS OHIO VICTORY
Slides Choice remained unbeaten in two starts -- both added-money races -- by rallying past a stubborn Yankee Cruz to win Saturday's $50,000 Miss Ohio Stakes at Thistledown. At the wire, after six furlongs in 1:11 2/5, Slides Choice and jockey Anne Sanguinetti were a half-length the better of Yankee Cruz, who was making her career debut under Ricardo Feliciano. Holy Harem, a stablemate of the winner, finished third, 11 lengths behind the runner-up. Slides Choice captured the July 27 Tah Dah Stakes in her career debut at River Downs.
A Mary Crawford homebred, racing in partnership with Gerald Brown, Slides Choice was the 4-5 betting choice in the Miss Ohio, which is restricted to Buckeye-bred juvenile fillies. She paid $3.60 for a $2 win ticket and earned $30,000 for her owners. Tim Hamm trains Slides Choice and Holy Harem. He has saddled the winners of three of the four Ohio Fund stakes for two-year-olds run this summer. He started his run by winning River Downs' July 13 Hoover Stakes with Raise the Reward.
"I think these two are both nice fillies," said Hamm. "Slides Choice stepped up again today and Anne has her on a roll. They are great together."
Slides Choice settled off the pace from the break from the gate as Holy Harem stalked the pacesetting Yankee Cruz. She moved up to third going into the turn and when Holy Harem stalled at the quarter pole, Sanguinetti asked her mount to run.
"She was kind of goofing off when I came to the leader," said Sanguinetti. "I think she wanted to mess with the other horse. I told her, 'C'mon honey, run straight.' She's really a nice filly."
Hamm is unsure of where he'll next start Slides Choice, but after back-to-back sprints, he wants to stretch her out.
"There isn't another Ohio stakes race for her for quite a while (the Sept. 27 Galbreath Memorial at Thistledown), so we'll look elsewhere," he said. "I really want to run her around two turns."
Jessica Leigh Barrett, Miss Greater Cleveland, presented the trophy for the Miss Ohio.
Saturday is Kids Day!
Labor Day weekend features family fun on Saturday with Thistledown’s final kids day of the season. Free kids activities include pony rides, face painting, an inflatable bouncer and crafts from 12-3 p.m. Kids 10 and under also receive a free hot dog, snack, ice cream treat and beverage from 12-3 p.m.
Kids can register for special prize drawings all afternoon featuring a Nintendo DS Lite, iPod Shuffle, portable DVD player and more. Plus, families can enter to win a family 4-pack of tickets to Great Wolf Lodge and an Apple Vacation Getaway package valued at $1,800.
Visit Kim Johnson at the WZAK Booth from 12-2 p.m. and enjoy live music by Hubb’s Groove and outdoor grilling.
THISTLEDOWN LEADERBOARD --- On the strength of a three-bagger on Friday, Randy Joe Faulkner caught his brother, Rodney Faulkner, atop the trainers' standings. Both had 13 winners, but Rodney broke the tie on Monday by sending out second race winner, Sweet Finish. He now leads his brother, 14 winners to 13. Jeff Radosevich is second at 12 winners, followed by Tim Hamm and Burton Sipp on 10. Jevon Crumley is next at nine winners . . . The jockeys' derby is also tight. Louis Stokes leads with 24 winners. Ernesto Oro has 22 winners, followed by Weldon Cloninger Jr. and Luis Gonzalez at 19.
CHEERS FOR CHILI --- Thistledown hosted the eighth annual Chili Cookoff, sanctioned by the International Chili Society, on Saturday. Not only did North America's leading chili chefs get to cook their specialities and have race fans sample them, over $600 was raised for the Don MacBeth Fund for disabled jockeys.
Those who were judged best were:
In salsa: Ron Smith of Huntington, WV, the champion, with Lynn Berkebile of Vermilion second, and Ted Morgan of Columbus third.
In verde: Bill Donovan of Cincinnati was the champion, with Brian Warmuth of Wheeling, WV second, and Gary Schmey of Cincinnati third.
In red: David Mallory of Kitts Hill, OH, was best, followed by Dave Sinclair of Columbus second and Ted Morgan, also of Columbus, third.
THE FEED BAG -- Fans have just three weekends left to enjoy Thistledown's popular Sunday Brunch. The last brunch of the season is scheduled for Sept. 14…Thistledown's jocks' room graybeard, Tommy Meyers, celebrated his 63rd birthday on Wednesday. He continues to ride in top form, having won nine races this season from 76 mounts . . .Next Thursday's live racing card (Sept. 4) is the last Thursday of the 2008 season. Thistledown will race four days a week (Friday through Monday) for the remainder of the year. The only exception is a Wednesday card set for next week (Sept. 3) . . .Thistledown will be open Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday of this week for evening full-card simulcasting. The track is open seven days a week for afternoon simulcast wagering . . . Apprentice jockey Kirsten Swan went from a dangerous situation to the winner's circle on Monday. The 18-year-old Chagrin Falls High senior lost her right stirrup leaving the gate in the second race and was all out to control her mount, Tia's Angel. But 20 minutes later, Swan was mugging for photos in the winner's circle after booting Skylar Kaz to a wire-to-wire victory, her fourth of the Randall-Cranwood Meeting.