Dougie D Oro upsets Best of Ohio Babst-Palacios Memorial
Dougie D Oro pulled off a $16.40 upset in the $100,000 Best of Ohio Babst/Palacios Memorial, one of five statebred stakes Friday at Belterra Park.
The Best of Ohio has evolved into a series of showcases throughout the year at all three of the state’s Thoroughbred tracks to promote the Ohio racing and breeding programs. Following Friday’s program, another five stakes will be contested Aug. 13 at Thistledown, and the annual fall showcase program of five season-capping stakes will be held Oct. 29 at Mahoning Valley.
The Babst/Palacios was noteworthy among Friday’s stakes for the return of millionaire Altissimo, making his first start since winning his third edition of the Best of Ohio Sprint last fall to lock up his third state horse of the year title. However, the favorite was pinched back after the start and was never involved, despite being hand-prompted strongly down the backstretch by jockey Erik Barbaran. Altissimo finished last in the field of seven.
Meanwhile, Dougie D Oro overhauled Startdfromdabottom in the lane to win by 1 1/2 lengths under Ricardo Feliciano, stopping the clock in 1:10.04 for the six furlongs on the fast main track. This was the second win on a Best of Ohio program for the gelding, who is owned and trained by Jerry Sparks. He won the Best of Ohio Honey Jay Stakes last August at Thistledown, a race in which Altissimo was fourth.
Chief Buckeye rallied for third in the Babst/Palacios, suffering his first loss in four career starts but acquitting himself well in his stakes debut.
The consistent Amadevil ($2.40) won the sister race to the Babst/Palacios Memorial, the $100,000 Diana Stakes for female sprinters.
Amadevil, who had Chesley Keiser aboard for trainer David Wolochuk, has now won 7 of 8 career starts, also including last year’s Michael G. Mackey Memorial Angenora Stakes and Scarlet and Gray Handicap. Her only loss was a runner-up effort in the First Lady Stakes.
In other stakes action on Friday’s Best of Ohio card:
* Bruce Ryan’s homebred Country Club Bobby ($9.60) took an off-the-turf edition of the $100,000 Best of Ohio Green Carpet Stakes for 3-year-olds. Luis Rivera was in the irons for trainer Jeff Radosevich.
* Favored Candlelight Hours ($5.20) stretched her win streak to four by winning the $100,000 Best of Ohio Norm Barron Queen City Oaks for 3-year-old fillies by 4 1/2 lengths. The filly, who is trained by James Jackson for owner-breeder Elkhorn Oaks, began this current streak by winning the John Galbreath Memorial on the fall Best of Ohio card last October. Terry Houghton was aboard for Friday’s win.
* Uptown ($47.20) was an upset head winner of the $100,000 Best of Ohio Sydney Gendelman Stakes for older horses, which also was taken off the turf. Malcolm Franklin was in the irons for Brian Waltz. Multi-time Ohio champion Mo Dont No was fifth.