Cheryl White Memorial tops six undercard stakes on loaded card
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Stilettos, who looked like something special in summer 2024, steps back into stakes company in Monday’s $200,000 Cheryl S. White Memorial for 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs at Mahoning Valley. The White Memorial is the richest of six undercard stakes on a loaded card that features the $300,000 Steel Valley Sprint as its main event.
Stilettos, a Texas-bred, showed her hand with a 16 3/4-length debut victory at Lone Star in her home state. She went on to win the Debutante at Ellis Park going seven furlongs. However, she then was 10th after flashing speed early in the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes going a one-turn mile at Churchill Downs.
Back at sprint distances, Stilettos has been first or second in all five starts this year. She comes off a solid allowance win at Keeneland with a Beyer Speed Figure of 90, narrowly the top number in a well-matched field in which many sport figures in the 90s.
“She’s been a real consistent filly,” trainer Bret Calhoun told track publicity. “She’s never run a bad race sprinting.”
Stilettos is well-drawn toward the outside of a large field of 10. The filly has speed but is not a need-the-lead type, which will serve her well in a race that seems to have plenty of pace. From the wide draw, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will be able to gauge the development of that pace.
Andrea prefers to be forwardly placed and could be forced to use her foot or risk being shuffled back from the rail. The filly is a multiple stakes winner in Florida for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and was most recently third after setting a pressured pace in the Grade 2 Charles Town Oaks at seven furlongs.
Top and Velvet Devil have both shown speed in some of their better efforts, as have Dominant Diva, Taliesin, and Vespera, those latter three at double-digit odds on Monday’s morning line. Top has shown some class, as she was second in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks to Clicquot, who went on to win the Grade 1 Cotillion. Top is cutting back in distance. Velvet Devil is coming off two allowance wins for Mike Tomlinson.
Of the stakes-seasoned runners, Flat Out Time looks most likely to be able to sit off a strong pace and come with a run, although trainer George Weaver said he is still trying to figure out the filly’s best surface. She was third in the Grade 3 Prioress on dirt – won by Praying, who went on to win the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America – and then second in the Grade 3 Glen Cove on turf.
Mahoning Distaff
Calhoun also brings a Texas-bred to the other open-company stakes on the undercard, as Too Much Kiki comes for the $100,000 Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Distaff for fillies and mares going six furlongs.
Too Much Kiki has won 4 of 5 starts this year, the majority of those against statebreds, but she did finish second in the open Memorial Day Sprint in May at Lone Star to Mystic Lake, a multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire. Too Much Kiki is making her first start since winning the Valor Farm Stakes in July but runs well fresh. She won her first start this year off nearly a seven-month gap.
Benedetta, who won a strong edition of the Cheryl White Memorial in 2024, returns to Mahoning Valley. The filly won here last year over Irish Maxima and Halina’s Forte, both of whom are graded stakes winners this year. That was part of a streak of four straight victories for the Steve Asmussen trainee, which extended into the American Beauty in February at Oaklawn. She also was Grade 3-placed in Kentucky last year.
Benedetta is, however, coming off a hiccup, as she was eased in the stretch of the Smart N Fancy when trying turf in August at Saratoga. She was then hosed and iced down before being vanned to the barn area. She has been working steadily for her return.
Cardinal Stakes
The other four stakes on the card are for Ohio-bred or Ohio-accredited runners. The $75,000 Cardinal Stakes for Ohio-bred older sprinters has drawn eight entrants, six of whom just met in the Best of Ohio Sprint on the state’s fall showcase program Oct. 25 at Mahoning Valley.
Superwolf, who won the 2024 Best of Ohio Juvenile, added a second win on the showcase program by leading throughout in the Sprint. He has taken four stakes overall for Robert Gorham.
Looking to turn the tables are Boots Malone, Fortissimo, Empire’s Fire, Henry Mac, and Stage Name, who finished second through sixth, respectively, in the Sprint. Empire’s Fire won the 2024 Sprint and Cardinal.
Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial
Familiar names also appear in the $75,000 Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial for Ohio-accredited runners 3 and up going a mile and 70 yards.
Prominent Ohio trainer, breeder, and owner Tim Hamm sends out Casual Attire and Villian, who were first and second in the 2024 edition of this race, as well as three-time stakes winner Shadowy. Villian has won four stakes and comes in off back-to-back victories in the Buckeye Native and the Catlaunch.
The veteran campaigner Big Truck won the Ruff/Kirchberg in both 2021 and 2022.
◗ The $75,000 First Lady Stakes is for Ohio-bred 3-year-old fillies sprinting six furlongs. Wonder World has been first or second in her last six starts.
◗ Rounding out the action is the $75,000 Glacial Princess for Ohio-accredited 2-year-old fillies. Dynamic Vision is the only stakes winner in the field, coming off a score in the Emerald Necklace.
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