Leona's Reward facing males in Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial

Mahoning Valley is preparing for the biggest card of its meet on Monday, with the $250,000 Steel Valley Sprint and the $75,000 Mahoning Distaff, both open-company events. The Austintown, Ohio, track first sets the table with a pair of $75,000 stakes for Ohio-accredited runners this Saturday with the Ruff/Kirchberg Memorial Handicap for 3-year-olds and up and the Glacial Princess for 2-year-old fillies.

Leona’s Reward looks to continue her momentum in the Ruff/Kirchberg. Tim Hamm’s mare finished second in the Best of Ohio Distaff in October at Thistledown, then bounced back to win the Ohio Debutante at Mahoning Valley for the third straight year, romping by eight lengths. It was the eighth career stakes victory for Leona’s Reward, who will have Luis Colon in the irons.

Eightthehardway is the two-time defending winner of the Ruff/Kirchberg, but he has just one victory this year, in the George Lewis Memorial Stakes in June at Thistledown. He most recently finished fourth in the Catlaunch Stakes in mid-September. Terry Houghton will be aboard Saturday for trainer Richard Manning.

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Mobil Solution, a stakes winner at Mahoning Valley last year as a juvenile, has been consistent this year, only finishing worse than second once. After a runner-up effort to Eightthehardway in the Lewis Memorial, he won the Horizon Stakes and the Catlaunch. Rosco P. Coltrane comes in having finished second in the Horizon and third in the Catlaunch.

Geppetto is making his fifth consecutive appearance in the Ruff/Kirchberg. He won the race in 2015, was second in 2016, and third in both 2014 and 2017. However, he has made just two starts this year, both in claiming company in February.

The field for the Glacial Princess is led by Hey Adrian, the only prior stakes winner in the group. The filly, owned and trained by Josh Faulkner, comes in having won three straight, including the Loyalty Stakes over males at Belterra Park and the Emerald Necklace Stakes at Thistledown.

Radiant Bird finished second in the Emerald Necklace, beaten three-quarters of a length. Show Me Some Sass was fourth in that race.

Seeking a Jewel and Mobil Lady both exit the John W. Galbreath Memorial Stakes on the Best of Ohio card, where they finished eighth and 12th, respectively.