Cat Singer out for stakes trifecta

Cat Singer tries to complete a stakes-winning hat trick on Labor Day, when he will match strides over nine furlongs with nine Ohio-bred 3-year-olds and up in the $75,000 Governor's Buckeye Cup at Thistledown.

In his last start,on July 15, he won the nine-furlong George Lewis Memorial at Thistledown by a half-length over Bug Hunter, who is one of his main rivals again on Monday. On June 17 he loped to a 4 1/2-length win over the River Downs grass in the Gendelman Handicap. In his only other 2006 start, he stumbled at the start and was eased as the favorite in the Ed Babst Memorial at Beulah Park. Cat Singer has been second in stakes at Monday's nine-furlong distance, and if he runs his race he will be very hard to handle. Rodney Prescott, who has ridden him in his last two wins, will come in from River Downs to ride for trainer William D. Cowans.

Bug Hunter is a hard-knocking 4-year-old Halory Hunter colt who has posted a 4-5-3 record from 13 starts. He is a stakes winner and has been stakes-placed four times. Bug Hunter has a win and three thirds from four starts this year and was steadily getting to Cat Singer in the George Lewis. The extra furlong of today's race should be to his advantage. His regular rider, Irwin Rosendo, gets a return call from trainer Tim Hamm.

Go Johnny Go has been second twice in stakes at this distance. He has tactical speed, and a quick early pace would enhance his chances. Trainer Michael Nance will have Luis Gonzalez ride.

Tri Uimet likes to run on the lead and should provide a lively pace. He won the nine-furlong Cleveland Gold Cup this year. His next start was in the Grade 2 Ohio Derby, in which he set the pace for seven furlongs before tiring. Thistledown's leading trainer, Jeff Radosevich, will team up with the track's leading rider, Scott Spieth, with Tri Uimet.