Field for Steel Valley Sprint somewhat more in focus after three scratches Saturday

Which horses will show for the $200,000 Steel Valley Sprint on Monday and in what shape will the Mahoning Valley Race Course track be when they get there?

That’s hard to predict, although the picture became more clear Saturday.

Eight 3-year-olds are entered for the richest race of the season at Mahoning Valley, near Youngstown, Ohio. But three, including Ohio-bred star Mo Dont No, were cross-entered in other stakes Saturday.

Mo Dont No, a leading candidate for Ohio-bred Horse of the Year with a 7-for-10 record this year, and Riding in the Wind, winner of the Howard Noonan at Mahoning Valley in April, scratched from Saturday's $75,000 Cardinal Handicap for statebreds to await the Steel City Sprint. Both will be longshots. Mo Dont No is 10-1 on the program; Riding in the Wind is 30-1.

Nicaradalic Rocks, coming off a victory in the Maryland Million Sprint, scratched from Saturday’s $100,000 City of Laurel at Laurel Park.

Further, the weekend forecast for Youngstown calls for three to six inches of wet snow Sunday, followed by more cold temperatures Monday, with a high of 37 degreees. So there could be one or two trainers who won’t want to risk running a horse on a sloppy or muddy track in near-freezing weather.

The most accomplished runner in the six-furlong Steel Valley is Awesome Banner. Currently training at Churchill Downs with trainer Mark Casse, Awesome Banner won the Grade 3 Hutcheson and Grade 2 Swale in back-to-back starts last January and recently won two legs of the Florida Sire Stakes series at Gulfstream Park.

Front Pocket Money, based at Churchill with trainer Steve Asmussen, won the Grade 3 Jersey Shore at Monmouth Park in July the last time he raced on dirt. He’s coming off two thirds in turf sprints this fall.

The best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 99, belongs to Bandwidth, who will make his stakes debut after easily winning the first two starts of his 3-year-old campaign.

◗ The supporting feature, the $75,000 Mahoning Distaff for fillies and mares going six furlongs, features a return appearance by Donita’s Ruler. A year ago, she crossed the finish line in the Distaff in a dead heat for first with Heykittykitty, only to be disqualified for drifting out and impeding her rival during the final furlong. The 5-year-old Donita’s Ruler hasn’t won a sprint since scoring in a $25,000 starter allowance going seven furlongs at Keeneland in April.

Her most dangerous opponent, especially if the track is wet, may be the 3-year-old filly Tiffany Case. Her 4-for-6 record this season includes a 4 1/2-length score in slop at Thistledown on Oct. 21.

The program favorite at 7-5 is Regia Marina. Two of her three career victories have come on synthetic surfaces. She hasn't sprinted on dirt since winning her maiden last January at Aqueduct.