Funnel Cake will try to stretch speed in Loyalty Stakes

Funnel Cake apparently couldn’t wait to get going last time out, unseating his rider and taking a solo tour of Belterra Park before the race, then scoring a sharp maiden victory. The colt will now try to stretch out his natural speed in the $75,000 Loyalty Stakes for Ohio-accredited juveniles on Saturday at Belterra.

Funnel Cake, who was fourth on debut, unseated jockey Perry Ouzts before a July 22 maiden outing, running up the track to the eighth pole and then back to the paddock area where he was caught. After being reunited with his rider, Funnel Cake dueled for the lead and edged clear to a two-length score over Run the Numbers, who came back to win his subsequent outing. Funnel Cake will be trying to stretch his speed from five furlongs to six for the first time – although he did unofficially cover a good deal of extra ground in his pre-race exertions last out.

:: Get bonus PPs for Saturday’s $25,000-guaranteed late pick four at Hastings

Ouzts retains the mount on the Tom Amoss trainee, who has drawn post 3 in the field of eight.

Funnel Cake is from the first crop of Ohio stallion Kettle Corn, a Grade 2 winner who was multiple Grade 1-placed behind Game On Dude in California. Kettle Corn is also represented in the Loyalty by first-time starter Chillicothe.

The only other winner in this field is the gelding Play Ball, who wired the field in his debut going this six-furlong distance in August at Thistledown, with runner-up West Leonard coming back to win. Play Ball earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 54 to Funnel Cake’s 52 in his maiden win. Jockey Rex Stokes III retains the mount on Play Ball, who has drawn the outside post.

The maidens Buckeye Kitten, Midnight Mikey, Mobil Solution, Lavaca, and Freekson complete the field.