Contact Information:
Bob Roberts (216-662-8600)
February 4, 2010
www.thistledown.com
Thistledown To Host Best Of Ohio; Quintet Of Races Goes To Post Oct. 2
Thistledown, which last year became the first track to host back-to-back renewals of the Best of Ohio, a series of rich stakes races for state-breds that was inaugurated in 1987, will continue to be the home of the annual thoroughbred showcase. Brent Reitz, Thistledown's vice-president and general manager, and Bill Couch, the North Randall oval's director of racing, announced on Tuesday that the 2010 Best of Ohio will be renewed at Thistledown on Oct. 2. Thistledown's 122-day live racing season commences April 23.
"The Best of Ohio will celebrate its 24th running this year and we are more than happy to once again be hosting it," said Reitz. "The five races, worth $350,000 in purse money, attract the top horses."
Couch points to the competitiveness of the Best of Ohio races as a day that both horsemen and fans look forward to.
"Three of last year's races were decided by less than a length, two of those by a mere nose," said Couch. "The Distaff featured a great stretch duel (Slides Choice edging Pay The Man) and we are hopeful that both will return for a rematch."
The Best of Ohio is made up of four races with $75,000 purses -- the John Galbreath and Juvenile for two-year-olds, the Distaff, and Endurance -- as well as the $50,000 Sprint.
This year's renewal of the Best of Ohio will be the 12th hosted by Thistledown. Beulah Park in suburban Columbus has been the venue nine times and Cincinnati's River Downs has hosted three runnings.
OHIO DERBY UPDATE --- A date for Thistledown's centerpiece race will be announced soon, said Thistledown Director of Racing Bill Couch. "We're close to finalizing the date," said Couch. "We'll also announce the remainder of our Ohio stakes schedule that should kick off in early May." Last year's Ohio Derby, run on Oct. 3rd, was won by Phipps Stables' Gone Astray.
MR. BUCKEYE -- Dr. Daniel Stearns, a veterinarian whose scarlet and gray silks are the oldest continuous colors competing at Thistledown, may have waited 65 years for his best horse, at the very least, his best-named horse. Stearns, who at age 88 still works full-time at his Euclid clinic, watched online last Saturday as his homebred Beat Michigan won at first career asking in a maiden special weight race at Beulah Park.
"He blew (went wide) the stretch turn and still won by nearly seven lengths," said Stearns. "I got phone calls the next day from people wanting to buy the colt, but he's not for sale."
Stearns, a 1945 graduate of Ohio State University, said he is sending a picture of Beat Michigan in the Beulah winner's circle to OSU football coach Jim Tressel.
"Maybe he'll hang it up in the locker room," said Stearns.
Asked why he waited more than half a century to name a horse after OSU's No. 1 rival, Stearns said, "I don’t know. I guess it took me that long to come up with the idea. I will tell you this, it was the only name for the horse that I submitted to The Jockey Club."
Stearns said that because he is short help, he is putting in 80 hours a week at his clinic. He continues to outrace Father Time, but adds, "The only people who want to be 88 are the ones who are 87."
Stearns will be 89 on June 14.
BEULAH BIG BUCKS --- Thistledown is the place to be in February where each of the four Wednesdays $1,000 is on the line in the Beulah Park Handicapping Contest. Based on win mutuels only, the horseplayer whose bankroll is the largest takes home $500. Second place is worth $300 and third is worth $200. The contest is open to Thistledown Player Reward members but membership is free and can be obtained the day of the contests.
MR. HANDICAPPER --- Gary Johnson, Thistledown's champion trainer for six consecutive years (1997-2002) has always been known as an expert handicapper, as well. Johnson proved his prowess over the weekend, finishing 10th in the 11th annual Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas. The Cleveland resident collected $10,000 in prize money.
"It's tough out there," said Johnson. "I was second after the first day of the tournament and second pays $150,000. When the tournament was over I told a bartender that I just lost $140,000 and that I needed a drink. She offered me the whole bottle."
There were 11 other Ohioans in the contest, including Steve Glynn of Westlake, who finished 28th and cashed for $1,000. Brian Troop, a 61-year-old accountant from Barrie, Ontario, won the tournament and its $500,000 first prize.
THISTLEDOWN'S SUPER SUNDAY --- Full-card simulcast wagering will be available from 15 different tracks (12 thoroughbred, 2 harness and 1 quarter-horse) and bettors still can get home in time for the kickoff of Super Bowl XLIV between New Orleans and Indianapolis from Miami. The game is scheduled to start between 6:30 and 7 p.m. and post time for the last simulcast race is approximately 6:15 p.m.
FEED BAG --- A couple of Ohio Derby winners were in action recently. Palladio, winner of the 2005 Derby, finished a game second in Saturday's $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita, beaten a neck by Bold Chieftain. The $100,000 Palladio earned for being the runner-up made him a millionaire, with a bankroll of $1,060,812 . . . Delightful Kiss, winner of the 2007 Ohio Derby, finished a fast-closing third in a Jan. 22 allowance race at Gulfstream Park. It was his first start of the new season . . . Thoroughbred racing lost one of its more popular turf writers when Larry Bortstein died Sunday in Los Angeles. He was 67 and had sustained a pulmonary embolism in late January. Bortstein also had a passion for music, and was a member of a barbershop harmony group and had sung professionally to help support his family since he was a small boy.