Leona's Reward, Eightthehardway may meet again in Lewis Memorial

The last two winners of the $75,000 George Lewis Memorial, Eightthehardway and Leona’s Reward, could get another rematch in Saturday’s renewal of the Ohio-accredited stakes, one of two stakes showcasing the home state’s breeding program on the Ohio Derby undercard Saturday at Thistledown.

Leona’s Reward is cross-entered in the $75,000 J. William Petro Memorial Handicap for Ohio-bred fillies and mares on the card. Whichever spot the partnership of trainer Tim Hamm’s Blazing Meadows Farm and WinStar Farm opt for, the 6-year-old mare will be well backed. She is 5-2 on the morning line in both races, and Scott Spieth will be in the irons.

Leona’s Reward, who regularly faces males, won the 2017 edition of the Lewis Memorial by a nose over Eightthehardway. She finished third last year behind Eightthehardway and Mobil Solution, a four-time stakes winner who also returns for Saturday’s renewal.

Leona’s Reward returned from a five-month winter break to win the Dr. T.F. Classen Memorial Stakes in May at Thistledown, her fourth straight victory, and 11th stakes win overall.

Eightthehardway is a four-time stakes winner, but is looking for his first win since last year’s Lewis Memorial. He finished fourth in the Michael F. Rowland Memorial Handicap last month at Thistledown in his first start in six months.

Leona’s Reward would meet another familiar rival in the Lewis Memorial in True Cinder, who finished second in the Classen Memorial. The six-time stakes winner has traded several decisions with Leona’s Reward over the last two years.

Stakes-placed Funnel Cake, Mobil At Last, and Sammy Da Bull complete the field.

One race later, School Board Prez will take her third crack at the Petro Memorial after finishing second in both the 2017 and 2018 renewals. School Board Prez, who is an eight-time stakes winner, picks up the services of Florent Geroux, who will be at Thistledown to ride favored Owendale in the Ohio Derby.

Takechargedelilah won last October’s Best of Ohio Distaff on the state showcase program over Leona’s Reward and School Board Prez. Luis Saez was named to ride Takechargedelilah, but his Ohio Derby mount, Global Campaign, is to be scratched, and he is named on four stakes horses Saturday at Monmouth Park, meaning a rider change is virtually certain.

Mayas Queen Neetee won the 2017 Best of Ohio Distaff. Multiple stakes winners Drillit and Hey Adrian and stakes-placed Cali Dream round out the field.