All eyes on Someday Soon in Miss Ohio Stakes

Fourteen Ohio-bred 2-year-old fillies, a full field, are signed up for Saturday’s $75,000 Miss Ohio Stakes at Thistledown, but it’s hard to look beyond Someday Soon.

Based at Keeneland with trainer Will Van Meter, Someday Soon romped by 8 1/2 lengths as the 1-2 favorite in her career debut at Belterra Park in Cincinnati on July 4, earning a 55 Beyer Speed Figure.

Eight of the opponents Someday Soon will face in the 5 1/2-furlong Miss Ohio are still maidens. Among the winners, the highest Beyer is a 41.

The only knocks on Someday Soon are that Van Meter has never run a horse at Thistledown, is 0 for 4 with 2-year-olds coming off a maiden victory, and is just 1 for 9 overall with 2-year-olds.

The most viable alternative to likely odds-on favorite Someday Soon is the maiden Halona, who recorded a 48 Beyer while missing by a neck in a three-horse photo finish in her career debut at Presque Isle Downs. Although her first five published workouts and one race occurred on Tapeta, Halona displayed a fondness for Thistledown’s dirt oval when she worked a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Tuesday. She is a half-sister to Mordant Bay, who finished third in the Grade 3 Mazarine at Woodbine and was the runner-up in last fall’s Best of Ohio Distaff.

Leading trainer Jeff Radosevich will send out three fillies. The most intriguing is second-time starter Blanconia. She dueled up front for a half-mile before fading to third and now cuts back slightly in distance from six furlongs.

Classic Musical, a three-length winner in her career debut at Belterra, is back with fillies after racing seventh throughout the Hoover Stakes against males two weeks ago.

Cali Dream, who settled for second as the even-money favorite in her second career start July 1, is eligible to move forward while making the third start of her form cycle. Her trainer, Bob Gorham, sent out Ibelieveinmiracles to finish second by a neck at 9-1 in last year’s Miss Ohio.