Heavenhasmynikki at best distance in First Lady

Heavenhasmynikki made her debut just more than a year ago at Mahoning Valley and returns to the track Saturday having establishing herself as one of the best Ohio-bred fillies in training. She gets the chance to make a statement at her preferred distance of six furlongs in the $75,000 First Lady Stakes for statebred fillies.

Heavenhasmynikki, currently trained by Gary Johnson for Ron Paolucci, followed her debut win at Mahoning Valley in October 2017 with a victory against open optional-claiming company at Gulfstream Park in January. After that, she faced some of the nation’s top 3-year-old fillies, finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Forward Gal, third in the Grade 2 Davona Dale, and ninth in the Kentucky Oaks.

Just more than a week after the Oaks, she returned to her home state but finished fifth in the Tomboy Stakes at Belterra Park.

Heavenhasmynikki was given a freshening and came back to win an allowance race at Thistledown, followed by the Diana Stakes. Both were at the six-furlong distance of the First Lady, at which she is unbeaten in four starts. After the Diana win, she stretched out to 1 1/8 miles for the Best of Ohio Distaff on Oct. 13 but finished fourth.

Heavenhasmynikki, who is 2-1 on the morning line, drew post 6 in the field of seven under Luis Colon. Her main competition figures to come from inside, as Magna Rose drew the rail at 8-5 and Tango Run is next door at 5-2.

Magna Rose, trained by Brendan Walsh, won the Queen City Oaks by 6 3/4 lengths in July in her stakes debut. She most recently wired a six-furlong allowance at Belterra Park by 19 lengths, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 80 – the second-best number in this field, behind Heavenhasmynikki’s 85 in the Diana

Tango Run, a three-time stakes winner for William Cowans, is coming off a four-length allowance win at Thistledown.

Breaking from the outside post in her stakes debut is the speedy Dancin’ Rosie, who has won her two starts by a combined 18 1/4 lengths.

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