Altissimo rolls in Cardinal, Tivis makes statement in First Lady
Altissimo continued to roll through the Ohio-bred sprint ranks while Tivis established herself as a rising star in stakes on Saturday at Mahoning Valley.
Favored Altissimo ($4.20) closed up the rail under Erik Barbaran for a 1 1/4-length victory over Morestride in the $75,000 Cardinal Handicap. He finished the six furlongs in 1:11.22 on a fast track.
This was the 13th career stakes victory for the millionaire, who is trained by Richard Zielinski. He was coming in off a victory in the Best of Ohio Sprint three weeks ago - winning that fall showcase for the third time after also taking it in 2018 and 2019.
One race earlier, Tivis outdueled Amadevil and kicked clear for a 1 1/2-length victory in the $75,000 First Lady Stakes for Ohio-bred 3-year-old fillies.
This was the second career stakes win for Tivis ($21.80), who was ridden by Christian Pilares for Robert Gorham. The filly won the Southern Park Stakes in March over reigning Ohio horse of the year Esplanade. Saturday’s victory against a solid field proved that no fluke. Favored Amadevil, who suffered her first defeat after winning her previous five outings by a combined 55 lengths, was 10 3/4 lengths clear of the rest of the field, with Esplanade defeated again in fourth.
Saturday’s two-stakes card set the table for Monday’s major program at Mahoning Valley, which features the $200,000 Steel Valley Sprint and the $75,000 Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Distaff, both open races. Both stakes are part of a mandatory payout of the Buckeye Jackpot Pick 6, for which the carryover is $20,093.