Deniro's Saint steers clear of potent pair in Ohio Debutante
Deniro’s Saint has spent her season chasing the two best Ohio-breds in training, the 4-year-old colt Jac’s Fact and the 4-year-old filly Needmore Flattery. On Saturday, the 5-year-old Deniro’s Saint finally gets away from the potent pair, who have combined for 12 victories in 2015 and are vying for Ohio-bred Horse of the Year.
A drop into more restrictive Ohio-accredited company in the $75,000 Ohio Debutante Handicap at Mahoning Valley Race Course could be what Deniro’s Saint needs to win for the first time since taking back-to-back stakes in the summer of 2014. She faces just four other fillies and mares in the 1 1/16-mile feature that goes as race 3 at 1:38 p.m. Eastern.
The two most serious challengers to Deniro’s Saint are the 7-year-old Startin Something, seeking to snap a 24-race losing streak, and Derby Day Storm, an 8-year-old 10-time winner whose success has mostly come sprinting.
KEY CONTENDERS
Deniro’s Saint (Last 3 Beyers: 51-48-43)
◗ Her best performance in five starts this season, all in stakes, came when she was second to Jac’s Fact in the 1 1/8-mile George Lewis Memorial in mid-July. She beat Startin Something by 1 1/4 lengths that day.
Startin Something (Last 3 Beyers: 40-33-54)
◗ Her last win came sprinting in May 2013, although she has been second or third in 10 of 15 starts over the past two seasons. She was third in last year’s Debutante and missed by a nose while facing Ohio-accredited stakes runners at Mahoning Valley last December.
Derby Day Storm (Last 3 Beyers: 52-48-0)
◗ She was fifth, 4 3/4 lengths behind Startin Something, in the 2014 Debutante. She’s a stakes winner sprinting this season but is 0 for 11 lifetime in two-turn dirt routes.
Hope’s Frog Song (Last 3 Beyers: 62-42-55)
◗ She was last of eight, beaten 21 1/4 lengths, in this race last year. She just missed when going a mile in an allowance at ThistleDown in May but was badly beaten in three subsequent dirt routes.