Hoist the Gold, Tejano Twist catch a class break in Steel Valley Sprint

The past performances of Hoist the Gold and Tejano Twist are peppered with names of Grade 1 winners. These two 3-year-olds get a chance for their own breakthrough score as they head from their Kentucky bases to lock horns north of the river in the $250,000 Steel Valley Sprint on Monday at Mahoning Valley.

The Steel Valley Sprint, one of Ohio’s richest races, has drawn a field of 11 3-year-old sprinters. The race anchors the five stakes on a nine-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. The other stakes are the $100,000 Youngstown Oaks and the $75,000 Mahoning Distaff, both for open female sprinters; and the $75,000 Cardinal Handicap and $75,000 First Lady Stakes, both for Ohio-bred sprinters.

Hoist the Gold will have Brian Hernandez Jr. in the irons for trainer Dallas Stewart. The colt’s maiden victory last fall came on the disqualification of Cyberknife, now a multiple Grade 1 winner.

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Hoist the Gold comes off three consecutive runner-up efforts, all against salty company. He was second, beaten 3 1/2 lengths, in an allowance/optional-claiming race against older horses on Sept. 3 at Saratoga. The winner, Elite Power, went on to win the Grade 2 Vosburgh and the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Hoist the Gold was then second by a half-length in another allowance/optional claimer at Churchill Downs to stakes winner Kavod, with Tejano Twist in third. Most recently, Hoist the Gold was second by 3 3/4 lengths in the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland behind Grade 1 winner Gunite.

Tejano Twist also is well seasoned against top competition. The gelding finished second in stakes at Colonial and Remington last year before winning the Lively Shively at Churchill Downs in November. He concluded his juvenile campaign by finishing second in the Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds behind Epicenter, who emerged as one of this year’s leading 3-year-olds.

Tejano Twist, who was claimed midway through this season by Chris Hartman, has faced some of the same standouts as Hoist the Gold, including when he was fourth in the Maxfield Stakes behind Gunite at Churchill Downs. After finishing third to Kavod and Hoist the Gold at Churchill Downs, he went on to win an allowance/optional claimer at Keeneland. Chris Landeros, aboard for his two most recent starts, retains the mount Monday.

Hoist the Gold and Tejano Twist both earned Beyer Speed Figures of 98 in their most recent start, among the highest numbers in this field. Both also usually rally from off the pace.

They should have an honest pace to run into. Drawn in the first two posts for the Steel Valley are Knocker Down and Ky Hot Brown, both of whom sometimes show speed. Fast Jack, never worse than second, comes off a second against statebreds at Hawthorne and also figures to be on or near the lead. Another prospective contributor to the pace should be Golden Hornet.

Scaramouche, the only graded stakes winner in this field, typically sets or presses the pace and has drawn outside in post 11 under Irad Ortiz Jr. The gelding is coming off three straight wins at Parx Racing, all for Guadalupe Preciado, most recently the Grade 2 Gallant Bob.

Completing the field are Roger McQueen, a stakes winner at Ellis last year who is making his first start since September 2021; Friar Laurence, who was fifth in the Perryille; Volbeat, a last-out allowance winner at Mahoning Valley; and Sheltowee’s Ball, an off-turf stakes winner at Ellis.

The Youngstown Oaks, the sister race to the Steel Valley Sprint, has drawn a field of nine. The 3-1 morning-line favorite is Girl With a Dream, with Florent Geroux in to ride. Trained by Brad Cox, the filly won the Grade 3 Forward Gal at seven furlongs in February at Gulfstream, then was sixth going a mile in the Grade 2 Davona Dale there in March. This will be her first start since then.

The Mahoning Distaff is an open race, but Ohio-bred Tivis will be among the favorites. The filly picks up Ortiz in the irons and breaks from the rail. Tivis won the First Lady and the Southern Park last year at Mahoning Valley. Trained by Robert Gorham, she sports a pair of allowance wins and was second in the Scarlet and Gray Stakes this year.

The Cardinal field includes millionaires Altissimo and Mo Dont No, both multi-time statebred horse of the year honorees who between them have won four of the last five editions of this race. In his most recent outing, Altissimo was third in the Best of Ohio Sprint. Mo Dont No was third in the Best of Ohio Endurance behind Cardinal rivals Morestride and Dougle D Oro.

R Three Angels is the 7-5 favorite in a field of five for the First Lady. She won the Tomboy Stakes in August and most recently was third, beaten 10 lengths, in the Best of Ohio Distaff.

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