'Cat' tries to cool Freshman Stakes

GROVE CITY, Ohio - Mercer's Cool Cat heads a field of seven Ohio-bred 2-year-olds in Sunday's $40,000 Ohio Freshman Stakes at Beulah Park.

Mercer's Cool Cat is one of only two stakes-placed starters in the 1 1/16-mile Freshman by virtue of back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Hoover Stakes at River Downs and the Loyalty at Thistledown in August.

In his most recent start, Mercer's Cool Cat won his maiden here at 1-5 over statebred maiden special weight company on Oct. 27. Mercer's Cool Cat won the six-furlong race by 3 3/4 lengths for owner-trainer Dennis Mammen.

Ivan Gonzalez has a return call aboard Mercer's Cool Cat, a son of Mercer Mill.

The filly Dinkers Pride is the other stakes-placed starter in the Freshman. She finished second in the Emerald Necklace at Thistledown in September. She sports a career record of 1-4-2 from eight starts. Her only off-the-board finish came in her only start around two turns, when she finished sixth, beaten 6 3/4 lengths in the Best of Ohio Juvenile Fillies. Tony Caminita, who has ridden Dinkers Pride in all of her starts for trainer Joe Shuman, will be in for the mount.

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