Cake Pop comes from off pace to win Hoover Stakes

Cake Pop, a front-running winner in his career debut, changed tactics to score a 7-1 upset in Saturday’s $75,000 Hoover Stakes for Ohio-bred 2-year-olds at Belterra Park in Cincinnati.

Lightly regarded as the fourth choice in the betting despite owning the second-best Beyer Speed Figure in the field, Cake Pop ($18.60) settled in fifth under jockey Malcolm Franklin down the backstretch of the 5 1/2-furlong Hoover as the maiden Bobbys Approval led through fractions of 22.45 and 46.21 seconds.

Cake Pop launched a five-wide bid to join Bobbys Approval and Jocker Justice in a three-way stretch battle. He took command in the final furlong and defeated Jocker Justice by 1 1/4 lengths, completing the distance in 1:04.64.

The one-two finish was a repeat of a maiden race on June 19, in which Jocker Justice was the 7-5 favorite and Cake Pop was nearly 8-1.

Presque Isle Downs shipper Crazycantberighted was a distant third as the 3-5 favorite, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

Cake Pop is a homebred son of Notional trained by Michael Lauer for owner Penny Lauer. The Lauers are also the horse’s breeders.