I Recall heads rescheduled Vivacious on stakes laden card
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One will recall that last weekend, defending winner I Recall loomed large in the field for the $75,000 Vivacious Stakes for Ohio-bred fillies and mares on the Belterra Park turf. One week later, her advantages still hold true as I Recall goes in the rescheduled Vivacious, part of what is now a massive card Saturday in Cincinnati.
Belterra was forced to abandon its July 15 card after two races, as storms rolling through the area rendered the track unsuitable for racing. Thus, the July 22 card, already anchored by the $75,000 Horizon Stakes for Ohio-accredited 3-year-olds on the turf and the $75,000 Hoover Stakes for statebred juveniles, now also includes the rescheduled Vivacious and the $75,000 Jim Morgan Memorial Tah Dah Stakes for Ohio-bred 2-year-old fillies.
The re-drawn Vivacious has a field of 10, with Sally Strong and Market Success defecting from the original cast and Star Rules joining in. Several lining up for the 1 1/16-mile tilt have limited turf experience, making I Recall a standout as she ships in from her Presque Isle Downs base for John Bourke, who also co-bred and co-owns the mare. She was game to prevail by a head after a long drive in the 2022 Vivacious. She then added victories in the Pay the Man Stakes and Best of Ohio Distaff, both at nine furlongs on dirt, and was named Ohio’s outstanding handicap mare for the season.
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Most recently, I Recall has made two allowance-optional claiming starts this year at six furlongs on Presque Isle’s synthetic track, finishing second each time. She has laid just off the pace in those recent outings, a tactic she could find herself using Saturday as she and Angel Stanley go a route of ground again. There seems to be plenty of pace in this edition of the Vivacious, as Buckeye Bling, Parfait, Perfectingtheview, and Windy Lu Who all seem likely to be forwardly placed. Perfectingtheview and Windy Lu Who are drawn in posts 1 and 2, respectively, giving them a clear path to the lead, with I Recall in a good spot to stalk from post 4.
Goodness Sakes and Star Rules join I Recall as the only members of this field to win on turf. Goodness Sakes won the Cincinnatian last year, and later finished second to Star Rules in the Miss Southern Ohio. Both races were at this same distance on the Belterra course.
Star Rules is an intriguing addition to this lineup. She has won twice from six starts on turf; all but the Miss Southern Ohio effort came outside of Ohio against open company.
Soft Talk, the only 3-year-old in the field for trainer Joe Sharp, could get a good setup stalking off the pace under Luis Rivera, with a long run into the first turn to work her way over from post 9 and save ground. After multiple stakes placings, she broke through with an eight-length win in the Best of Ohio Queen City Oaks last out, going 1 1/16 miles on Belterra’s dirt.
This will be the first start on turf for Soft Talk. The filly is by multi-surface sire Midshipman, and is a half-sister to Ohio stalwart Big Truck, stakes-placed in his only start on turf.
Horizon Stakes
The Horizon is similar to the Vivacious in that many have limited turf experience. Factisimflashy is the lone turf winner in the field, taking the Cincinnatian June 30 for Jerry Antonuik. But the front-running filly now faces males, and is drawn in the outside post in the field of 12. She and Albim Jimenez do have the long run into the first turn to work their way over, but will find other speed between them and the rail.
Factisimflashy is the only member of the wide-open field with a stakes win this year. The inexperienced Our Buckwheat is likely to take some money after winning both his starts, dirt sprints against older horses, for David Wolochuk. He is bred to have some multi-surface and route ability; his dam Aide, won at a mile on synthetic and was stakes-placed around two turns on dirt. His family includes synthetic Grade 1 winner Karlovy Vary, dam of turf graded winner Mean Mary.
Tim Hamm, a leading trainer on the Ohio circuit who also breeds and owns horses in a number of partnerships, factors prominently in both of the day’s 2-year-old races, including saddling five of the eight entrants in the Hoover. The standout among his quintet in the Hoover may be a horse he owns, Hottie Spottie, by young standout Ohio 2-year-old sire National Flag. This colt was third on debut behind Hoover entrant Ruffin and next-out winner City Scene, then came back to win his next race by 3 1/2 lengths. Hottie Spottie has maturely settled just off the pace in both his outings, and is well drawn to do the same in the Hoover in post 3 with J.G. Torrealba.
Hamm’s family also campaigns Villain, fourth behind Hottie Spottie on debut. He improved despite some immaturity in his second outing, left to chase the pace after he was fractious in the gate, and missing by less than a length as the top two drew away from the field. He was later awarded first money when the winner was disqualified due to a crop violation.
Hamm will also saddle Golden Flag, who beat a next-out winner in his debut score; maiden winner Spellcast; and maiden Shadowy.
Perhaps overshadowed by Hamm quintet will be Ruffin, trained by Brian Waltz, who bested Hottie Spottie and Villain on debut, then was flattered by their maiden wins. He is expected to make the pace from the rail.
The performance of Ruffin and others from his maiden in the Hoover may be key to handicapping the Tah Dah later in the day. The filly City Scene was second by 4 1/2 lengths to Ruffin while finishing a length ahead of Hottie Spottie. She came back for a front-running nine-length score in her next outing for James Jackson. If she is flattered by the Hoover result, she may offer value in the Tah Dah.
Brief Encounter is likely to go favored off a debut win with a 51 Beyer Speed Figure, the best in this field, for WinBlaze, the regionally high-profile partnership of Kentucky’s WinStar Farm and Hamm’s Blazing Meadows. The National Flag filly is a half-sister to 2022 Best of Ohio Juvenile winner Grand Isle.
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