Justalittlesmoke tests open company in Austintown Filly Sprint

Trainer Bob Gorham gave some thought to shooting for a sweep of Saturday’s $75,000 co-featured stakes at Mahoning Valley Race Course by running 2014 Ohio champion juvenile filly Justalittlesmoke against statebred males in the Howard B. Noonan and relying on fast maiden winner Candy War and recent allowance winner Lonestar Angel in the Austintown Filly Sprint.

Looking at the long-range potential rather than just one payday, Gorham decided it was wiser to run all three fillies against open company in the six-furlong Sprint, which goes as race 6 on Saturday’s program.

Gorham and his wife, Marion, are also breeders. “So, we’re always thinking about future broodmare value,” Gorham said. “If Justalittlesmoke wins an open stakes as opposed to another restricted stakes, it would add a lot to her future value.”

Based on recent Beyer Speed Figures, Candy War, who earned a 77 Beyer for her maiden win March 23, is faster than three-time stakes winner Justalittlesmoke, who got a 69 for her win in the Southern Park on March 28. Gorham said that’s not necessarily an accurate measurement of the two fillies.

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“The racetrack is so variable at Mahoning Valley, you have to be careful in making an assessment of a horse based on a speed rating only,” Gorham said. “The other two fillies I have in the Sprint are nice fillies, and I’m hoping they run well and can get a piece of the purse. But they’re also a little inexperienced. I have to look at what a horse has done across the board, and Justalittlesmoke has done a lot.”

Aside from Gorham’s trio, the Sprint includes Fair Grounds shipper Kathy’s Reward, the runner-up in a starter allowance in her first start for high-percentage trainer Joe Sharp, and Tetrad, a 10 1/4-length maiden winner five weeks ago at Sam Houston.

◗ Even without Justalittlesmoke, Gorham will go three deep in the six-furlong Noonan (race 7), with last-out allowance winners Boot Legger and Triple Strike along with Unbridled Graduate, a romping winner over open-company maidens two starts ago.

The morning-line favorite in the field of 10 is last year’s Ohio champion 2-year-old male, Mound. He makes his second start of the season following a narrow loss that snapped his four-race winning streak March 25.

The field also includes Rollin Away Baby, an easy winner of his career debut April 8, and He’s Taken, making his first start since he was beaten a neck by Mound in December.