Leona's Reward, Altissimo account for Ohio-bred stakes

Leona’s Reward won the $75,000 Ohio Debutante for the third year in a row Saturday, when she romped by eight lengths over Grizabella in the co-feature at Mahoning Valley.

Altissimo captured the $75,000 Cardinal Handicap, winning by 4 3/4 lengths over Mo Dont No. Both races were restricted to horses bred in Ohio.

Leona’s Reward ($2.10) was the 127-pound highweight in the Ohio Debutante Handicap, spotting her rivals between seven and 13 pounds each in the 1 1/16-mile race run on a sloppy, sealed track. She set fractions of 24.06 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.27 for the half-mile, and 1:12.50 for six furlongs before going on to cover the distance in 1:45.12.

Luis Colon was aboard for trainer Timothy Hamm.

Leona’s Reward is a daughter of the Mr. Prospector stallion Parents’ Reward and she races for her breeder, Blazing Meadows Farm, and Michael Friedman. Leona’s Reward has now won 12 of 36 starts – including eight wins in stakes – and has earned $587,106.

There was no place or show wagering in the five-horse field Saturday.

Altissimo ($3.40) was always prominent in the Cardinal, as he pushed Moves Like Ali through an opening quarter in 22.28 seconds, took over through a half-mile in 44.89, and went on to cover six furlongs on the sloppy, sealed track in 1:09.92.

Christian Pilares was aboard for trainer Richard Zielinski.

Altissimo came into the Cardinal off a nine-length win in the $150,000 Best of Ohio Sprint at Thistledown for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97. He is a son of Noble Causeway who races for his co-breeder, Nancy Lavrich, and Ronald Zielinski.

Altissimo has now won 13 of 32 starts and earned $454,388.