Beulah Park: Ohio's best 2-year-old filly Startin Something makes season debut

GROVE CITY, Ohio – Trainer Tim Hamm sends out four of the nine 3-year-old fillies, including the clear-cut choice Startin Something, in the $50,000 Royal North at Beulah Park on Saturday. The Royal North is the first stakes for Ohio-breds this season.

Startin Something is the obvious choice to be voted 2010 Ohio-bred 2-year-old filly champion as she was the only member of her division to win a stakes last season. The divisional champions will be officially announced April 9.
Startin Something won her last four races of 2010, all in stakes. On July 24, she won the Tah Dah at River Downs, followed by the Miss Ohio at Thistledown on Aug. 21. In her next out, the J.W. Galbreath on Best of Ohio Day at Thistledown on Oct. 2, she won by 5 1/2 lengths in ridden-out fashion. In her final start of the year, at Beulah on Oct. 23, she won the Glacial Princess, a match race. Both the Glacial Princess and Tah Dah were non-wagering events because of short fields, with a purse of $17,000.

Hamm said he expects a good performance out of Startin Something on Saturday.

“She wintered in Florida and is doing great,” Hamm said. “She had a couple of breezes at Turfway to keep her where we want her and she is ready to go.”

Although her most impressive victory in the J.W. Galbreath was at 1 1/16 miles, Hamm is not concerned about the six-furlong distance of the Royal North.

“There is plenty of speed in our entry and so I think she will get a fair shot to show what she can do.” said Hamm.
The three-horse entry is rounded out by So So Smart and JuJu Bling. Hamm also sends out Throws it Down for owner Gary Aiken.

The main threat is School Lass, trained by Mark Thomas. School Lass won her maiden on Jan. 22 at Oaklawn Park. She came back March 11 to run third, beaten two lengths, in an entry-level allowance against older horses after overcoming trouble at the start. She earned a Beyer of 63 in that event, the highest figure of the nine fillies in the field.