Beulah Park: Needmore Flattery back against Ohio-breds in Royal North Stakes

GROVE CITY, Ohio – Needmore Flattery returns to Beulah Park to attempt to remain unbeaten against statebred company Saturday in the $50,000 Royal North Stakes. Trained by Tim Hamm, Needmore Flattery was a perfect 6 for 6 in Ohio last season and was named Ohio 2-year-old Filly of the Year.

Needmore Flattery suffered three defeats, all against open company. The company in the Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Stakes at Presque Isle Downs and the Wait a While Stakes and the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park proved too much for the daughter of Flatter. Both of the Gulfstream Park races were routes with a $100,000 purse.

Needmore Flattery will be coupled with Dream Bling and Natural Bling in Saturday’s 11-horse field of 3-year-old Ohio-bred fillies. Pablo Morales will ship in to ride.

Catawba Gray will be looking for her second consecutive victory locally for trainer Bill Helmbrecht. The daughter of Value Plus won her maiden last out March 29 by almost 18 lengths, going six furlongs, the same distance as the Royal North. It was a sloppy track that day and looks to be sloppy once again Saturday, as heavy rain was forecast for Thursday and Friday in Grove City. Rodrigo Vergara retains the mount.

La Nina Bronca won at first asking Feb. 24 for trainer Danny Werre locally. She came from well off the pace in the five-furlong event, and that running style may help her in a speed-laden field. La Nina Bronca will get Lasix for the first time, and Dean Sarvis gets the mount.